My Friend, Playful
by Boolia
Summary: The Pines, Soos, and Wendy discover a beached extinct Baiji, aka, a Chinese River Dolphin on the beach. Mabel befriends it and decides to take it home and names him Playful. She plays with him everyday, ignoring Waddles. When Pacifica finds out about Playful, she steals him and claims him as her own. Can Mabel get him back and can she release him so he can reunite with his family?
1. Chapter 1

My Friend, Playful

Chapter 1

_"Kids!"_ Grunkle Stan called from downstairs. He had a beach towel over his shoulder and had on his trousers. Soos was nearby with his towel and trousers. "Are you ready? Come on, let's go! I want to go to the beach before it gets too crowded!"

_"Coming, Grunkle Stan_!" Both Dipper and Mabel shouted. They were both in their swim gear. Dipper raced down the stairs while Mabel slid down on the stair banister.

_"HA_!" She laughed as she landed. "I beat you!"

"Yes you did." Dipper admitted. Waddles came down the stairs, oinking. He nudged Mabel with his snout. Mabel bent down and petted her pig.

"I'll be back." She told him. "Don't worry." She then stood up. "Is Wendy here yet?"

"Not yet." Stan told her. Then the doorbell rang. "Oh, speak of the devil, here she is." He went to the door and opened it. Wendy stood on the other side.

"Hello Pines!" She greeted. "Hello Soos." They all said hello.

"Are you ready for the beach, Wendy?" Mabel asked her. Wendy nodded.

"You bet I am!" Mabel looked at her uncle.

"We'll be back in two hours, right Stan?" Stan nodded.

"'Don't worry." He assured her. "In two hours, you and your pig can have the time of your lives." Waddles flopped on his back, oinking. Mabel smiled.

"Okay, Waddles." She went to him and tickled his underside, Waddles oinked with glee. "You like that, don't you Waddles?" She then stood back up and waved to her pig.

"Okay, we're going!" She told him, waving. "Be a good pig. Love you, Waddles!" Waddles oinked a goodbye as they all left.

_"RACE YOU_!" Mabel shouted as they got out of the car. Dipper had put his hat in the car.

"_Wait_, Mabel!" Dipper called to his sister. "You need…sunscreen." He and Soos had put on sunscreen in the car.

"Don't worry, Dipper." Wendy assured him, putting on her own sunscreen "We'll get her. You go get her, she can put it on when we put out the beach towel." Dipper nodded and ran after his sister. Wendy looked at Stan.

"You should put on sunscreen, Stan." She told him.

"Don't Worry, Wendy." Stan assured her. "We'll only be out nearly two hours, I'll be fine."

"Okay, suit yourself."

"I beat you again!" Mabel said as soon as Dipper caught up with her. She looked around. There was nobody on the beach except the lifeguards. "And nearly everybody else."

"I was talking to Wendy." Dipper told her.

_"Ooh_, what did you tell her?"

"She said you could put on your sunscreen here."

"Well, they better come here quick so I can put it on. The sea is calling me."

"Don't you want to make sand castles first?"

"Okay. Maybe we can make it into a contest. See who can make the best sand castle. You and me against Grunkle Stan and Soos. Wendy can be the judge."

"Okay, sounds good."

When Stan, Soos, and Wendy got there, Wendy took off her coveralls, Soos and Stan took off their shirts, and they all took off their shocks and shoes. Mabel grabbed the sunscreen out of Stan's hand.

"Excuse me Grunkle Stan." She said. "Got to use this." She quickly rubbed it on everywhere she could, and then put it back in Stan's hand. She looked at the sun. "_Ha_! You're not getting to my skin, sun!" She looked at Stan.

"Did you put on sunscreen yet, Grunkle Stan?" Stan shook his head.

"Don't need to." He replied. "We're only going to be out here almost two hours; I'll be fine."

"Okay, whatever!"

"Okay, let's find a spot to lay out our towels." Wendy said.

"What are you _talking_ about?" Stan asked. "The beach is empty! Besides the lifeguards, we have the whole place to ourselves; we can have all the spots if we wanted."

"Not necessary," Wendy told him. "We don't want to lay our towels too close to the sea, otherwise, we'll get wet without even swimming!"

"Well, then people will have to learn not to splash so much."

"This looks like a good spot." Dipper said when he found a spot.

"_Good job, Dipper_!" Wendy congratulated him. She, Soos and Stan went to the twins. She and the others laid down their towels. Mabel and Dipper did the same. Stan unfolded his lawn chair and sat it on the sand. He sat on it.

"Okay," Wendy started. She looked at the twelve year olds. "What do you want to do first?"

"_SAND CASTLE CONTEST_!" They shouted together.

"_Okay, stop_!" Wendy said, looking at her watch. Soos, Stan, Dipper and Mabel stopped their castle making. Mabel and Dipper had made an ordinary sand castle, but Stan and Soos made… a lump. Wendy looked at it.

"_Uh Mr. Pines, Soos_," She started. "This isn't a sand castle, it's just a lump with a hole in it."

"That's the door!" Soos explained. "So you know, the people can get in and out of." Wendy looked at Mabel and Dipper's.

"Well, unoriginal as it is, looks like Dipper and Mabel won the sand castle making contest!" The twins cheered.

"_Up top_!" Mabel said, exchanging a high-five with her brother.

"_Ugh!_" Stan complained. "Soos, I told you our castle was lame."

"Relax, Mr. Pines." Soos assured him. "We had fun; that's all that matters. You're just mad that two 12-year-olds beat you."

"They beat you too, Soos." Stan told him.

"Yeah; but I'm not complaining about it."

_"RACE YOU TO THE SEA_!" Mabel shouted to her brother, running to the sea.

"_Oh yeah_?" Dipper challenged and ran after his sister.

Mabel got in the sea first.

_"Ha!"_ Mabel laughed at her brother. "I beat you!"

"That's because you had a head start!" Dipper reminded her.

_"Yeah_? But, I still won!" Dipper then splashed his sister with water, Mabel screamed.

"Oh, so you want to play _that _game!" She splashed her brother back. And with that, the siblings stated splashing each other with water and laughing. Stan went to the cooler, got out a Cool-A-Cola, and sat on his lawn chair he had unfolded.

_"Hey_!" Stan shouted, getting wet. _"Watch it_, can't a guy drink his soda on the beach _without_ getting wet?"

"Sorry Grunkle Stan." Mabel apologized. "But you brought it on yourself when you decided to have a drink near the 'splash zone.'"

"I told you not to sit near the sea, Mr. Pines." Wendy told him. Stan sighed.

"Sorry, my bad." He took his lawn chair and soda and brought it up further. He unfolded his lawn chair and sat on it. He drank his Cool-A-Cola. "Kids like you got to learn not to splash so much."

"_Awe, Grunkle Stan_!" Mabel stated. "That's no fun!"

_"Exactly_!" He took out a lettuce sandwich that he took from home and began eating it.

"Come on guys!" Mabel shouted. "The water's fine!"

"I'll stay here." Stan responded. "You crazy kids have fun."

"Okay, Mr. P!" Soos spoke, running to the sea. "I'm not a kid, but I'm going to act like a crazy one!" He put his toe in and then ran back, faced the water and ran as fast as he could. _"CANNONBALL_!"

There was a big splash when he dived in. The water got onto Stan.

_"Soos_!" Stan scolded loudly at him. "I'm not even in the splash zone!" Soos laughed nervously.

"Oops; sorry Mr. Pines!" Everybody laughed, but Stan wasn't amused.

"Okay," Wendy told the kids, looking at them and Soos. "What should we do?"

"_MARCO POLO!"_ Mabel shouted.

"Okay, who's want to be 'it' first?" Mabel shot up her hand.

_"ME!"_

"Okay, everybody, swim away from Mabel." They all swam away from her as Mabel started the game with her eyes closed.

_"Psst,_ Dipper, Mabel!" Soos said to Mabel and Dipper when they were all done after a few rounds. He pointed at their uncle, who had fallen asleep, "Want to?"

_"Oooh_!" Mabel said, realizing right away what Soos wanted. "You bet!"

"I'm in." Wendy put in, swimming towards them.

The kids, Wendy and Soos got out of the water. They went to Stan and started putting sand on the unsuspecting Stan.

_"There_!" Wendy whispered to them when they were done. "All done!" Mabel let out a giggle.

_"We did it_!" Mabel cheered quietly. "And Stan doesn't have the faintest idea on what we've done."

_"Uh-Oh_!" Soos said when he saw Stan's eyelids begin to open. "He's opening his eyes." They quickly ran back to the sea. Stan opened his eyes and saw that he was buried from head to foot!

_"What the-_?" He looked at Soos, Wendy, Mabel and Dipper as they laughed. "_Why, you pranksters_!" He stood up and ran to them, but not before taking one last drink and another bite.

"I don't think you should do that Grunkle Stan." Mabel pointed out. "You just took a bite out of your sandwich."

"Yeah, Mr. Pines." Soos added. "If you've just eaten, you shouldn't swim for 45 minutes, otherwise you might get a cramp."

"That's just something we grown-ups say to the kids." Stan explained to him. "It's not true; I'll be fine." He ran in the sea "Now all of you, come here!" Wendy, Soos, and the twins swam away as Stan swam after them. He then captured Dipper and Mabel. They screamed.

"_Got ya!"_ Suddenly, his eyes widened and he screamed as he dropped the kids in the water. "_CRAMP! I GOT A CRAMP! OOH, IT HURTS_!" Mabel and Dipper looked at each other, smiling. They looked back at their uncle.

"'Something we grown-ups say to the kids', huh?" Mabel asked. Soos was about to say something when Stan beat him to it.

"And not one word out of you, Soos." Soos closed his mouth. Stan walked out of the water. "That's enough for me; I'm getting too old for this anyways. You kids and Soos have fun."

_"Stan_!" Wendy called after him. "Before you sit down, can you toss us the beach ball?" Stan sighed, went and grabbed the beach ball they bought from home, went back and tossed it to Wendy.

_"Thanks!" _Wendy called back and she, Soos and the kids started playing catch with it. Stan sighed again and went back to sit in his lawn chair.

_"KIDS_!" Stan shouted to them a while later. "Come on, two hours are up! Mabel! If you want to be with the pig, you better hurry!" Mabel gasped.

_"WADDLES;_ I almost forgot!" She said. She swam as fast as she could. Wendy looked at Dipper.

"Guess we're going." She told him. She had the beach ball in her hand. "Come on." She, Soos and Dipper went out of the water. They grabbed their towels to dry themselves.

"I told you to put on sunscreen." Wendy told Stan, looking at him. He had been burnt from head to toe!

"Me too." Mabel added. Stan sighed.

_"Yeah, yeah_!" He said. "You two told me." Soos laughed.

"That sun burnt you really good, Mr. Pines."

"Shut up, Soos."

"Yes sir." They then heard a dolphin cry.

Mabel looked at her brother.

"Did you hear that?" Mabel asked.

"Yeah, I did." Her brother answered. They heard it again.

"There it is again." She then began to ponder. "I wonder what it is."

"It sounds like a dolphin."

_"Uh, guys_," Wendy spoke. "You better look at this." The kids looked at where the red-head was referring to and gasped. There, in the center of the beach, was a long-nosed dolphin, and it had beached itself!


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

_"Come on, Dipper_!" Mabel told him. She started running for the dolphin.

_ "No, Mabel!_" Dipper called to his sister. "Don't! The lifeguards know about these kinds of things; they can handle it. Mabel!" He sighed.

"Better go after her." Wendy said to Dipper.

_"Right_." He, Wendy, Stan and Soos went after Mabel.

Mabel was almost run over by running lifeguards.

"Oops, sorry." One said and continued his way to the dolphin. One also almost ran into Dipper.

"Sorry." He apologized. He ran again.

Dipper then tripped over a something.

"Get a move on Dipper!" Stan called to him.

"I am!" Dipper called back. "I just tripped on something." He then noticed something in the sand. He picked it up and dusted the sand off. He looked at it and gasped. It was a part of fishing net! He stood up and ran to the gathering around the beached dolphin.

"Poor fella." A lifeguard said. He shook his head. Mabel felt sad. Last year at school, she learned that dolphins and whales beach themselves sometimes and can't get back to the sea.

"I wonder what happened to it." Mabel said.

"I think I know why." Dipper said when he caught up to them. They all looked at him. He held out the net. "Look, what I found."

"What does that have to do with…" Mabel started to say, but then she gasped. "Someone was trying to catch it!" Dipper nodded.

"Right." He said. "The dolphin must've escaped and ended up beaching itself."

"This is weird," Someone observed. Mabel looked at her.

"What's weird?" She wanted to know. The woman looked at her.

"They're called Baiji, or Chinese River Dolphin, and they usually get pretty big, but this one is small for its size, and it looks like it's a baby, anyways, I went to China in 2007, and I didn't see any of these kinds of dolphins anywhere. I finally asked an expert at a aquarium and he said that the last Baiji died in 2002. They're functionally extinct." Mabel looked at her in confusion.

"What's that?" She wanted to know.

"It means that only a handful of them are alive. We're lucky to see one alive."

"It won't be for long," The lifeguard spoke. "Unless we get it to the water fast."

"Then we need to get it in the water!" Mabel said. "We can't let it die!" The lifeguard nodded.

"We won't." He told her. "But we won't be able to lift him. We need a stretcher."

"We don't have _time_! Come on; can't you see he's dying? He need water now!" The lifeguard nodded in agreement.

"You're right! Can you and some helpers keep the dolphin wet as I'll go get a stretcher?" Mabel saluted at the man.

"It'll be my pleasure." The lifeguard smiled.

"Thanks!" He then was off. Some people went to fetch buckets.

"I thought you wanted to leave in two hours, kid." Stan said to her. "Remember, you told the pig."

"I'm sure Waddles will understand, Grunkle Stan." Mabel said to her uncle. "This is life or death here."

"Okay." And with that, they all got water from the sea to pour on the dolphin. Mabel petted the baby dolphin.

"Don't worry." She assured it. "We will help you. You have nothing to fear." She then hugged it. She patted it some more, and went to get some water.

"I got a stretcher!" The lifeguard called. The people let him bring the stretcher to the beached dolphin. "So, how's the dolphin doing?"

"Hanging in there." Mabel answered. "But we can't pour water on him all day. He needs to be in a large body of water."

"That's why I'm here with the stretcher." He put it down. "Now, I need some strong people to help me." Some adult volunteers went on each side of the dolphin. "Okay, we lift on three. One, two_, three_!" They lifted the dolphin on the stretcher.

_"Wow_ Mr. Pines!" Soos observed. "You sure are strong!"

"I worked out a lot when I was in prison." Stan told him. "Of course, I only worked out so that I can beat the snot out of my inmates." They lifted the stretcher and carried it to sea. The kids followed.

When the adults were in the sea and they lowered the stretcher and the dolphin swam off. They picked up the stretcher and marched back out. Mabel pumped out her fist.

_"WHOO-HOO!"_ She cheered. "_Yeah,_ we did it!" She looked out at the water.

"WHEREVER YOU ARE DOLPHIN, YOU'RE _FREE_! YOU ARE NO LONGER BEACHED!"

"Ready to go home, Mabel?" Dipper asked her. He had his shirt on.

_"Ready_!" Mabel answered. Her brother ran off. She looked back the sea.

_"BYE DOLPHIN_!" She called. "YOU DON'T GET BEACHED NOW YOU HEAR?" She was about to leave when she felt a splash.

_"What the?"_ She asked herself and looked into the sea. The dolphin made bubbles and poked his head out, splashing water on her again with his blowhole. Mabel laughed.

"Oh, _you!"_ She said. She splashed the dolphin back. "I got to leave." She was about to leave when the dolphin splashed her again. She looked at the dolphin with a mischievous grin. "Is that the _best_ you can do?" She splashed the dolphin.

Pretty soon, Mabel and the dolphin splashed each other like she and Dipper did earlier. Mabel laughed each time. She laughed again when the dolphin performed one of his tricks for her; he walked on his tail fluke on the water's surface, making his sounds.

"Oh dolphin," She spoke. "You're so funny!"

_"MABEL!_" Dipper called.

_"I'M COMING_!" The girl shouted back. The dolphin stopped his trick and let Mabel scratch under his chin. "You're a good dolphin, aren't you?"

Suddenly, the dolphin bit onto her swimsuit.

_"Hey,_ what do you think you're doing?" She yelled as she flipped into the water. The dolphin let go and let the girl resurface. When she did, she wasn't mad, all she did was burst out laughing.

"Are you okay?" A woman called to her, who was walking by where the sea met the sand. Mabel stopped laughing and looked at the woman.

"I'm fine!" She reassured her. The woman left and Mabel laughed again as she patted the dolphin when the dolphin nudged her with his nose.

_"MABEL_!" Dipper yelled again. "GRUNKLE STAN IS GETTING REALLY UPSET!"

_"OKAY_!" She shouted back. She rubbed the dolphin's nose again. "I really got to go!" She went back to shore. The dolphin cried. "I'm sorry; I wish you could come with me." The dolphin kept making pitiful sounds as Mabel put her shirt back on. She looked at the dolphin. The marine mammal looked at her as if saying 'Do you have to go? Can I come with you?'

"I'm sorry!" She told the dolphin. "You got to stay here." She looked at the pitiful look on the dolphin's face. She felt sad that the dolphin was sad. "Don't look at me like that; I would take you if I could but Stan won't like it. Oh, what the heck; you convinced me!" The dolphin cheered up and jumped up in the air and dived back in with a loud splash. Mabel put a finger to her mouth to tell the dolphin to be quiet.

"_Shhhh! Shhhh!_ Not so loud." She said. She then pondered to herself. "Hmmm, how can I get you to the Mystery Shack?" She then snapped her finger with an idea. "The cooler!" She looked back at the dolphin.

"I'll be back to get you tonight!" She said and waved to her new friend. "See ya!" She left and the dolphin jumped up and dived down in the sea again.

"Mabel; where were you?" Dipper scolded when she saw her sister. "We were waiting for you for 15 minutes!"

"Sorry." She apologized. "I was looking for a bathroom."

"Uh, Mabel. There are no bathrooms on the beach."

"That's why it took me so long!"

"Well, we better hurry back then." Wendy spoke. "You can go to the bathroom back at the Mystery Shack." And with that, Mabel, Dipper, Stan, and Soos went into the car and put on their seatbelts. Stan put the keys in the ignition and they were off.

_ "WE'RE HOME, WADDLES_!" Mabel announced as soon as they were back in the shack. Wendy had driven herself home. "Sorry we're late!" The muddy pig rushed in and greeted with a happy grunt, tracking mud everywhere. He ran into Mabel, getting her sweater all messy.

"Not in here!" Stan cried. Mabel patted her pig.

"You must be hungry." She gave out a laugh. "And you also need a bath." She stood up. "Come on, let's give you that bath." Waddles followed her to the bathroom.

"You should give yourself one too!" Stan called.

"I will!" Mabel promised. Stan gave the mop to Soos.

"Here Soos," He told him. "Clean this up." Soos looked confused as Stan headed towards the kitchen.

"_All_ of it?"

"Yes, Soos, all of it."

"But, what are you going to do?"

"I'm going to make lunch." Soos beamed at that.

"_Oh boy_! For me too, sir?"

"Only if you do a good job in cleaning up this mess. I don't want to see any traces of mud when I'm done." Soos saluted.

"Yes sir! I won't let you down!" And with that, he mopped away. Stan grumbled.

"That pig needs to learn not to track mud everywhere."

When Mabel was done, she, Stan, Dipper, and Soos gathered around the table to eat their lunch. Mabel had put out Waddles' food and water in his bowls. The pig ate and lapped up the water.

When done, they all excused themselves to do their things. Mabel went to her room to play with Waddles.

"Can you keep a secret Wads?" Mabel asked her pig. Waddles just looked at her and gave her a grunt. "Of course you can." And so, she told her pet pig about the dolphin.

"I'm sneaking off tonight to go and get him." She concluded. "So, it's very important that Stan doesn't find out, okay?" Waddles oinked again. Mabel smiled and patted him. "Good pig; I know you won't tell a living soul." Mabel stood up.

"_BRB_!" She told Waddles. She then went downstairs.

She came back a few minutes later with a pen, a stamping book, a paper towel, and paper. She sat down and wrote something down. She held the paper in front of Waddles.

"_This_ Waddles," She told him. "Is an agreement saying that you will be true in keeping your promise on keeping my secret, secret. Now since, you can't read, I'll read for you. Now, hold your right hoof." Waddles held up his right hoof. "Now, oink the following, 'I, Waddles, hereby solemnly swear to not tell a living soul about Mabel's dolphin.'" Waddles oinked in response. Next, Mabel opened the stamp pad. "Now, give me your hoof." Waddles pressed his hoof down into the ink. He then pressed it down on the paper, making a hoof print. Mabel wiped Waddle's hoof with a paper towel and put his hoof back on the floor. She closed the stamp pad.

"Okay Wads," She told him. "You go pick out a book for me to read to you while I put these away." Waddles oinked in agreement and went to the bookshelf as Mabel went to put them away.

He nudged Mabel when he picked one out. Mabel faced him.

"Okay Wads," She said. "What've you got?" She grabbed the book Waddles had picked out. There was a girl, a pig she was holding and a spider. The spider's web showed the title. _"Hmmm_, Charlene's Web. Good choice!"

Mabel walked and sat in a chair. Waddles trotted up and sat on his rump, waiting for his owner to start the story.

Mabel was about to begin when her uncle called her down for dinner.

"I'll be back, Wads," She promised the pig and put the book on the chair. She then went off.

That night, Mabel pretended to sleep. When everyone was in bed, she went out of bed and crept to the door, careful not to wake her brother. Waddles woke up and looked at her. Mabel gestured him to be quiet.

"_SHHHHHH_!" She whispered. Waddles nodded and went back to bed. Mabel went out of the room.

She crept by her uncle who had fallen asleep with the TV on. A bottle of Cool-a-Cola was in his hand. By the kitchen clock, she saw that it was a quarter to midnight. She opened the garage door and closed it softly behind her.

She grabbed the cooler, the wagon, placed the heavy cooler inside the wagon and went off, pulling the wagon.

"_Dolphin_!" She called in a whisper when she arrived at the beach. She put down the cooler. "_Dolphin,_ I'm back! _Dolphin;_ where are you? _Dolphin_!"

She hung her head sadly. She was about to go back when she felt a splash. She looked at who splashed her and beamed in a smile. "_Dolphin_!" She grabbed the cooler from off the wagon and filled it with sea water. She laid it down and panted.

"Okay," She spoke when she got her breath. She pointed to the cooler. "Hop in!" The dolphin shook his head and turned around. The dolphin did a clicking sound, flicking his head.

"_Huh_?" Mabel asked in confusion. "You want me to ride you?" The dolphin nodded. Mabel hesitated a moment. "Oh, what the heck!" She climbed onto the dolphin's back and the dolphin jumped in the air and back down with Mabel hanging on.

"_WHOO-HOO_!" The girl cheered loudly, forgetting to be quiet. "MIDNIGHT RIDE ON THE BACK OF A THOUGHT TO BE EXTINCT DOLPHIN, _ALRIGHT_!" She then remembered where she was and lowered her voice to a whisper again. "Okay dolphin, I think that's enough. The dolphin swam back to shore, letting Mabel off.

"You know, what? You need a name." She thought about this. The dolphin splashed her again and she laughed.

"You sure like to play a lot." She then snapped her fingers with a plan. "That's it; I'll call you Playful! You like that, Playful?" Playful clicked and whistled with glee. Mabel just laughed. "Okay, Playful it is." She went for the cooler and pointed in. "Hop in and I can take you to where I'm staying with my brother." Playful did one final jump in the sea before jumping in the water- filled cooler. Mabel dragged the cooler to the wagon and struggled to put it back in, now, with the extra weight. She went up front and grabbed the handle of the wagon.

"Okay, here we go." And with that, they were off, Mabel pulling as hard as she could.

They had reached the garage. Mabel fell to the floor in exhaustion. She stood up and walked up to Playful.

"Okay, Playful. You stay here for the night. I'll see you in the morning." She went for the door. "Night, Playful!" Playful jumped, clicking and whistling with glee.

Mabel yawned as she climbed into bed. Dipper was awake and looked at his sister.

_"Mabel_?" He asked. "Where did you go?" Mabel looked at him.

"Bathroom." She lied. Dipper went back to sleep.

I did it! Mabel thought to herself as she laid her head and her pillow and pulled her covers over her. I snuck out and got Playful without Dipper, Stan or Soos knowing! And with that, she, herself, went to sleep.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

_"BUG_!" Stan yelled as he saw the beetle on the floor the next morning. Dipper came down the stairs with Soos, Waddles, and a tired-looking Mabel.

"Morning to you too, Grunkle Stan." Mabel said, rubbing her eye. The kids and Soos noticed the beetle.

"_Whoa!_" Soos observed. "That's one big bug, Mr. Pines!"

"Are you going to kill it, Grunkle Stan?" Dipper asked.

"You bet I am!" Stan answered. He looked at Soos. "Soos! Give me the paper."

"You can count on me, sir!" He said. He went to the TV room and fetched the newspaper from Stan's recliner. He read it.

"The African wild dogs at the zoo had their babies!"

_"Let me see_!" Mabel screeched. She and Dipper went over to Soos and he showed them. The picture showed the two adult Wild Dogs with their new pups. A second showed the mother licking one of her pups.

_ "Awww!"_ Mabel squealed. "They're so adorable, just like you Dipper!" Dipper eyed her sister but agreed.

"They sure are." He said with a smile. "I bet that's what Mom and Dad were thinking too when we were born."

"'Cept I was born first." Mabel pointed out."So they admired me first."

_"Ugh_!" A frustrated Dipper cried. "Do you _have _to point that out every time?"

"_Yep_!" She then changed the subject. "Babies are so cute."

"Yeah." Stan said. "Then they grow on you and get on your last nerve. Anyways, Soos, this is not reading time, now…" He extended his hand. "Give me the paper." Soos gave it to him.

"Okay." He said. "But when you're done, I want to read about those babies. It's kind of weird, they're called wild dogs, yet they live in captivity at the zoo." Stan rolled up the newspaper and approached the beetle. He raised the newspaper. "You're dead, bug!"

_"WAIT!"_ Mabel screamed. She slid between the bug and her uncle. Stan looked surprised. "Don't kill it."

"I got to, kid." Stan answered. "That bug got in the Mystery Shuck uninvited."

"Well, you don't have to kill it."

"Yes I do. It's a pest. And when a beetle, fly, spider or any other kind of creepy insect invades your living quarters, you kill it. People have been doing it for generations and that's how it has to be. Now, move it!" Mabel stomped her foot and looked serious.

_"No!"_ Her uncle looked firm.

"Mabel, now I'm not going to say it again. Move, so I can make sure that beetle never sees the light of day again."

_"No,_ Grunkle Stan! Every living creature has a right to live. Each and every one of us has a porpoise in life, even animals and this insect." Soos was confused.

"Did she just say 'porpoise'?" Soos wanted to know. "Like a dolphin or a whale?" Dipper nodded.

"That's what I heard." Dipper told him.

"You know what I mean!" Mabel retorted.

"Well," Stan started. "that creature's 'purpose' is to be annoying. Look, Mabel, when it came in here, it was asking to be killed!"

"How do you know? Are you a bug whisperer?"

"Well, no. I just know, okay?"

"I don't think you do. Look, Grunkle Stan. If I go into a stranger's house, they don't get their gun and shoot me. They don't get they're flyswatter, newspaper, or any other weapons to try to kill me."

"You're not a dangerous animal or annoying insect."

"But let's say I was one, huh? You need to get in the insect's perspective to understand what it is feeling. If we kill all the beetles, pretty soon they'll become extinct and we'll never see it or it's kind ever again. Do you want that, it being completely wiped out of existence just because we humans didn't care and killed them all?"

"_Uh, Mabel_?" Dipper spoke. "Is this because of that dolphin at the beach? That lady said that they were functionally extinct, not extinct, meaning that there's only a few left."

"Exactly! And if we harm any more, they become extinct for good!"

"I'm going to kill it." Stan just said. He moved her niece out of the way and lifted up the newspaper. Mabel quickly cupped the beetle in her hands and ran.

_ "NOOOOOOO_!"

_"MABEL_!" Stan shouted. "You come back here, now!" He lunged at her and pinned her down. "GOTCHA!" Mabel then did one huge lick on Stan's hairy arm. Stan recoiled in disgust, letting her go. "Ew! Did you see that?" He stood up and resumed the chase. "You'll pay for that, Mabel!"

Waddles suddenly squealed and bolted between Stan and Mabel. Stan tripped on the pig, screaming. Mabel smiled at her pig.

"_Good job_, Waddles!" Waddles looked at her and gave out a happy grunt. He then oinked as if saying, 'Quick! Go take it outside, I'll deal with the old man!' Mabel ran on. Waddles grunted madly at Stan.

"You, go, Mabel!" Soos cheered after the retreating Mabel.

"Soos!" Stan scolded. Soos looked at Stan and stopped. "Help me up and Dipper, control that pig of your sister's!"

"Okay, okay!" Soos said, helping Stan up to his feet.

"Come on. Waddles!" Dipper said. "Come to Dipper!" Dipper grabbed the pig. _"Gotcha!" _As soon as he had him, the pig wriggled out of the 12 year old's hands.

Just as this was happening, Mabel had run outside. When she found the perfect spot, she released the beetle. "There! You're safe now. Run away from here, run as fast as your tiny legs can carry you!" The beetle ran off. Mabel smiled, proud of what she had done. She stood back up and went back towards the mystery shack where she was greeted by her uncle, Dipper and Soos. Her uncle didn't look happy.

"You shouldn't have done that, Mabel." Stan told her.

"Stan, I'm that beetle's hero!" Mabel said. "It probably telling all its friends how I saved it."

"Yeah, it's telling its friends all right. They'll come and I'll have even more bugs to kill."

"We'll see!"

"Alright, breakfast time."

"_YAY; BREAKFAST TIME_!" She petted her pet pig. "Come on Wads, breakfast slop time." Waddles oinked gleefully and followed Mabel and the others back in the kitchen.

"Grunkle Stan?" Mabel asked as soon as she was done eating. "Can Candy and Grenda come over?"

"I suppose." Stan replied.

"_YAY!"_ Mabel cheered, jumping out of her chair. "I'm going to call them right now." And with that, the girl ran off.

"_Hey_!" Stan snapped. "You need to clean up!"

"I'll do it, Mr. Pines." Soos volunteered. And with that, he picked up Mabel's things off of the table along with his, and went to dump and wash them in the sink. Dipper picked up after himself and Waddles.

"Why are we going in the garage?" Grenda asked Mable. She, Mable and Candy were heading towards the garage. A lizard perched on Grenda's shoulder.

"I got to show you someone." Mabel answered.

"And why do we have to meet your new friend in the garage?" Candy wanted to know.

"You'll see!"

"_OMG_!" Grenda burst out. "Do you have a new boyfriend and he wants to meet us in your garage to fix up his bike?" Mabel laughed to herself.

"I wish Grenda, I wish!" The girls went into the garage of the Mystery Shack. Mabel flicked on the lights.

"Here we are girls!" She announced. She went to the cooler.

"So, where is this friend of your?" Candy asked. Mabel's friends were then was splashed by water. "Hey! Who splashed us?"

_"He_ did!" Candy and Grenda then looked at the dolphin who did a jump in the cooler. He made a clicking noise before landing, splashing once again. Both girls' jaws were open. "Girls, I like you to meet my new friend Playful!"

"You got a pet dolphin?" Grenda questioned. "As well as a pet pig?"

"And your uncle agreed to this?" Candy wanted to know.

"No." Mabel admitted sadly with a sigh. "He doesn't know that he's here. I didn't show Playful to anyone…up to today. You girls and Waddles are the only ones that knows he's here. So," She put a finger to her mouth. " _Shhh!_ I don't want anyone knowing."

"But shouldn't you tell him?" Mabel shook her head.

"Maybe someday, but not yet! I want him to be surprised!"

"Well, you can't keep him in here."

"Yeah!" Grenda added. "What if someone comes in the garage and notices him here?"

"Soos tried to come in here earlier, but I told him that there was a bat down here that feasts on any person whose name is Soos."

"And he fell for it? Candy asked.

"Yeah, but he's Soos."

"Can I show him my new lizard?" Grenda wanted to know. Mabel nodded.

"Sure; knock yourself out!"

"_Alright_!" She and Candy went towards Playful. "Hi, Playful! I'm Grenda!"

"And I'm Candy." Candy said. Grenda grabbed her pet lizard from her shoulder and showed the dolphin.

"And this is Lizzie." She introduced the lizard. "Lizzie, Playful, Playful, Lizzie. Well Lizzie, what do you think of Playful?" Grenda then accidently dropped the lizard in the water. "_LIZZIE, NOOOOOO_!" She looked at where her lizard fell in, seeing that she couldn't spot her. "I can't see her anywhere!"

Suddenly, bubbles bubbled up and there was Lizzie, floating up with the help of Playful's water from his blowhole. Lizzie was then flung at Grenda with water. Grenda hugged her lizard with glee.

"Oh Lizzie," She said. "I thought you were a goner! Luckily, Playful's here to stop that from happening!"

"Yay for Playful!" Mabel cheered, hugging him. She looked at her friends. "So girls, what do you think of Playful?"

_"AWESOME_!" Grenda replied.

"I like him." Candy said. "But somebody will have to come down here, and when they do, they'll notice a dolphin in the cooler. What will you do then?"

"That's part 2 to why you girls are here." Mabel answered. Candy and Grenda gave each other confused looks. Grenda shrugged. They looked back at her.

"What do you mean?"

"You and Grenda are going to help me carry the cooler outside."

"What if someone needs the cooler? What if you guys go on another picnic someday and need it?"

"I'll cross that bridge when I come to it. It'll be fine! We'll hide him in the bushes! That way, no one will see him!"

"But what if they do?" Grenda questioned. "What if Playful makes his dolphin sound and they hear it and then they see him from the bushes?" Mabel shrugged.

"Then I guess the secret's out, and I might have to give him up. Hopefully that'll never happen." Grenda and Candy looked at each other, unsure.

"Let's just go with it." Candy told her. And with that, the two girls lifted the cooler off of the floor. The girls struggled to keep it up.

"That's it, girls!" Mabel said. She went to the door_. "This_ way!"

"Can we hurry this up, Mabel?" Candy wanted to know. "This cooler is heavy!"

_"Yeah_!" Grenda agreed. "No wonder why you wanted your girlfriends here; you would've never carried this yourself, only for a really short distance at a time."

"That's right. Now just carry it outside. We'll push it from there." Grenda and Candy followed Mabel out the door.

"And…._stop_!" Mabel instructed. The two girls put down the cooler and panted in exhaustion. "_Perfect!_ Now for phase two of Operation: Transport the Cooler, we just push it to the bushes and we'll be done." The girls groaned at the thought of more work.

"Easy for you to say." Candy told Mabel. "You're not doing anything. You're just giving orders and watching us work. Do you know how heavy this thing is?"

"As a matter of fact Candy, I do. That's why I'm going to help you push it to the bushes."

"Why didn't you help us earlier?" Mabel grinned sheepishly.

"Sorry; I just didn't think of it." She went by her friends. "Okay; we push on three, ready? One, two, three, push!" All of the girls pushed the cooler closer to the bushes. "Push!" Again, they pushed. "Push!" They pushed with all their might. "Pu…"

_"Mabel_?" Dipper asked who was passing by. Mabel stopped instantly and tried to shield Playful from her brother.

_"DIPPER_!" Dipper looked at her sister, then at the cooler, and back to his sister again.

"What are you girls doing?"

"Uh, moving this cooler to the bushes."

"Why?"

"Oh, no reason. I'm not hiding anything in here." Playful then made his dolphin noise.

"Did I just hear a dolphin noise?"

"Uh, _no?_" Playful made another noise.

"There it is again!"

"I, uh…"

"That was me." Candy lied, coming to the rescue. "I just love making dolphin sounds!" She imitated a dolphin sound. "See?" All three girls smiled nervously. Dipper still looked unsure.

"Anyways Mabel, Soos won't go in the garage. He said that you said that there's a bat in there that feasts on anyone whose name is Soos. Can you tell him that it was a joke and there's nothing to be scared of?"

"Sure!" Mabel said.

"Thanks." He then went off. Mabel sighed in relief and she and the girls finished pushing the cooler.

When they were all done, they all collapsed in exhaustion. Seconds later, Mabel stood up and peered in the cooler.

"How are you doing, Playful?" She asked. The dolphin whipped his tail, splashing her. Mabel laughed.

"I take it you're doing fine." Playful made his clicking sounds, which made her laugh again. She then hugged her dolphin. "I love you, Playful." Playful hugged her back. Waddles trotted in. When he looked at this, he froze and just stared.

_"Aww_!" Grenda cried. "How sweet!" She looked at Waddles. "Isn't this sweet, Waddles?" Waddles gave out an angry snort and trotted off. Soos then passed by and noticed Mabel hugging Playful.

"Uh Mabel." He spoke. "Why are you hugging a dolphin? I think you're upsetting Waddles." Mabel's eyes widened, and looked at Soos. Playful went under the water.

_"Soos_!" Mabel said. "What are you doing here?"

"Dipper told me that you wanted to tell me something."

"Oh yeah. Soos, when I told you about a bat that feasts on anyone named Soos's flesh, I was only scaring you. The garage is safe; you can go in there now."

"Oh, well that's good. And now, about that dolphin." Mabel gulped.

"What dolphin? There's no dolphin."

"Sure there is! I just saw you hugging a dolphin. Want to tell me what that was about?"

_"I…uh_…"

"You better tell him, Mabel." Candy told her. "He saw him." Mabel sighed.

"Okay Playful." She started. "You can come out now." The little dolphin poked his head out and greeted Soos with clicking noise.

"Say, that's not the same dolphin from the beach, is it?" Soos asked. Mabel nodded.

"It is." She replied. "I call him Playful."

"Can I pet him?" Mabel looked at the marine mammal. Playful nodded. Mabel looked back at Soos.

"Sure!"

_"Aw right_!" He went closer to Playful. "Hey Playful, I'm Soos." Playful put out his flipper to him. Soos looked at it as if wondering what to do with it.

"Playful wants to shake your hand. Go ahead; shake it." Soos shook the dolphin's flipper with his hand. "How you do?" He looked at Mabel. "I never shook hands with a dolphin before." Next, Playful got ready to be petted. He did his noise. Soos petted him.

"Oooh; he feels wet and blubbery."

"Of course he does."

"I never petted a dolphin before ether." Playful suddenly did something unexpected; he rose up and kissed him on the cheek. Soos was shocked.

"And I especially never got kissed by a dolphin!"

"Well," Mabel put in. "There are firsts for everything. Playful really likes you."

"Yeah, he does. And I like him. This is a fine dolphin you have Mabel Pines." Mabel smiled.

"Why, thank you."

"Did Mr. Pines and Dipper see him yet?" Mabel shook her head.

_"Nope_!"

"Well, we should tell them; they'll _love_ him!" Mabel shook her head again.

"I don't think that's a good idea. Not yet, anyways." Soos was confused.

"Why not?"

"She wants Playful to be a surprise." Candy explained to him.

"On second thought." Mabel said. "I hope Grunkle Stan and Dipper never finds out. Dippper will tell Stan and then I'll have to say goodbye to Playful and never see him again."

"Well, they'll see him eventually." Candy told Mabel. "What will do then?"

"I'll cross that bridge when I come to it. Hopefully that'll never happen though." She rubbed Playful's nose. "I can never imagine giving him up." She turned to Soos. "Which is why you can't tell a living soul. Promise?" Soos held up his hand.

"I promise." He said. "I will never tell Mr. Pines, Dipper, or another living soul."

_ "Wait_; you need to sign the contract!" Soos, Candy, and Grenda were confused.

"The, _what_?" Mabel went towards the Mystery Shack.

"The contract; now, follow me!" The three followed her inside. "You stay there Playful."

"As if he has a choice." Candy said.

_"Huh_?" Grenda asked and looked back at him. "_Oh_; I get it!"

_ "Hey Soos_!" Dipper said to him upstairs. "Where're you going with the girls?"

"I'm going to sign a contract about keeping Mabel's d…" Mabel nudged Soos in the arm. "I mean, I'm just going to your and your sister's room to…to…." He looked at Dipper. "To do stuff. Sorry dude, you can't come." He and the girls went into the room. Dipper shrugged and went downstairs.

Once they were in Mabel and Dipper's room, Mabel grabbed a pen and the contract and showed them to Soos and her friends.

_"This_," She started. "Is the contract stating that you will not tell anyone about Playful. Waddles already signed it with his hoof print."

"Then let's sign it!" Grenda said. She reached for the pen and paper. "Give it to us so we can sign it." Mabel held back the pen and paper.

_"Hold it;_ not so fast! First you got to put out your hand and recite after me one-on-one."

"How did Waddles recite this?" Grenda wanted to know. "He's a pig! He can't speak human."

"Waddles oinked it." She went to Candy. "Candy, you start. Repeat after me. I, insert name…."

_"I, Candy Chiu."_ Candy recited.

_"Hey_!" Grenda interrupted. They all looked at her. "Mabel said 'insert your name', you can't say your actual name." They glared at her. "Sorry, continue."

"hereby solemnly swear," Mabel continued.

"Hereby solemnly swear," Candy continued back.

"to not tell a living soul about Mabel's dolphin."

"To not tell a living soul about Mabel's dolphin." Mabel smiled.

"_Good_!" Next, she went to Grenda. "Grenda, now it's your turn."

Both Grenda and Soos recited their oaths to Mabel.

"_Perfect_!" Mabel said, handing the pen and contract to Grenda. "Now all of you sign your names under Waddles' hoof print. Grenda signed her name with the pen and gave them to Candy.

"Okay," Mabel said when she had back the pen and paper after they all signed. "Now that's out of the way, we can have some fun time."

"_YAY_!" Grenda cheered. "Fun time!"

"Well," Soos said, heading for the door. "I'll be downstairs; you girls have fun!" He left, so did the girls. Mabel, Candy, and Grenda went outside back to play with Playful.

Mabel spent the whole time with Playful, even after her friends had left. Waddles tried to get Mabel to play with him, but she was just too busy with Playful. Even after dinner, when Waddles tried to let Mabel read to him _Charlene's Web,_ she was already reading another book to Playful. Waddles trotted off sadly, leaving the book to where they'd left off.

Waddles sat under the full moon, looking melancholy. All he could think of was Mabel. Even the moon had Mabel's face when he looked up. He laid down on his hooves, looking gloomy.

"_Well, well, well,_" Spoke up a voice that was familiar to the pig. Waddles looked up and gave out a frantic squeal; it was Pacifica Northwest! "If it isn't the pig that's supposed to be mine that loser Mabel stole from me." Waddles backed up and cowered in fear, hoofs over eyes. Pacifica bent down to him.

"Don't worry," She reassured him. "I won't hurt you. I could try taking you home with me, but you'd just run all the way back here, although why you want to live with Mabel is beyond me." She then was puzzled. "Why were you so sad earlier? Did that mean Mabel smack you? Well, don't worry, if you come home with me, I'll make sure that never happens." Waddles looked away from her, snorting. "Come on pig, you can tell me." Waddles snorted again and looked away. "Come on; I can make you feel better." Waddles turned away again. Pacifica had enough of this. "Fine! I don't know why I even bothered talking to a stupid pig anyways!" She went to where her friends were on the sidewalk.

"Come on girls." She told them. "Let's continue our walk." They continued their walk.

It wasn't long until Pacifica saw Mabel throwing a ball to someone in the bushes.

"Good job, Playful!" Mabel told the hidden Playful who tossed the ball back. Pacifica stopped and stopped her friends.

"Wait a minute." She said. She and her friends hid behind some trees. They all peeked out and saw that Mabel was playing with a dolphin. All of their jaws dropped.

"_MABEL_!" They heard Dipper call from inside. "It's time for bed!"

"_Okay!"_ Mabel called back, catching the ball. She went to Playful and stroked his nose. "Well Playful, I'll see you tomorrow!" She left, waving. "Bye-bye!" Playful waved back with his dolphin sound.

"Mabel has a pet dolphin?" Pacifica asked herself. "First she steals my pig away from me and now she has a dolphin, no fair!" She then grinned evilly as an idea came to her mind. She rubbed her hands together. "Girls, we're getting the wagon. We're going to steal Mabel Pine's dolphin."

Waddles overheard everything. He squealed frantically and ran to warn Mabel when he stopped in his tracks. He then thought of something awful. What if Mabel doesn't love him anymore? He saw himself walking out the door of the mystery shack and on the other side was Mabel and Playful.

"Good-bye, Waddles!" Mabel said. "I no longer love you; I love Playful now!" Playful and Mabel hugged in front of him and Playful stuck out his tongue at him. Mabel closed the shack door. Waddles ran up to the window, squealing like crazy, but the door stayed shut.

Back in reality, Waddles narrowed his eyes. He just trotted in like everything was normal. He went up to Mabel's and Dipper's room and curled up in his pig bed by Mabel's bed. Tomorrow with Playful gone, it'll be him and his beloved Mabel again. With that happy thought in his head, he shut his eyes and went to sleep.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

_"Uh, Mabel?"_ Dipper said. He was outside gazing at the cooler. A note was in his hand. "Can you come here? _MABEL!" _

_"I'm comin'_!" Mabel shouted, running outside. She looked up at her brother. "What's the haps, bro?" Her brother handed her the note.

"See for yourself." She read it.

'Loser Mabel," It read. "I have got your dolphin. If you want it back, too bad! The dolphin's mine! Pacifica. PS: You better take better care of your pig.' Mabel clenched her fist, crumpling the note. She narrowed her eyes.

"Pacifica!" She said to herself. "She's probably doing horrible things to him as we speak. And what does she mean 'take better care of your pig'? I take care of Waddles. It's her that's probably making Playful suffer right now." She then screamed. "Playful; I got to rescue him!" She was about to go when Dipper grabbed her arm.

"Hold it right there!" He told her. Mabel tried to escape from her brother's grasp.

_ "Dipper_! Let me go; I got to do this!"

"Mabel, do you know where Pacifica even lives?"

"No, but she has to be somewhere close! I'll search all of Gravity Falls or all of Oregon if I have to. Now, let me go; you're hurting my arm!"

"Mabel; I'll help you! Just explain a few things to me first."

"No time; Playful needs me _now!_"

"No Mabel; I got to talk to you!" Mabel stopped and sighed. She looked at him.

"Okay, make it quick!"

"I just can't believe it Mabel; a _dolphin_? I wasn't that surprised that Mom and Dad let you keep a pet pig, but a dolphin is a bit too much, don't you think?"

"So what? What do you know? Mom and Dad might love him just like I do!"

"But this is a wild animal! This dolphin lives in the wild; not here. We found it in the sea. You better let it go back in the wild where it belongs." Mabel shook her head.

"No, and don't call Playful a 'it.' He's a 'he'."

"_Playful_? Mabel; you're getting attached! As soon as we save him, he's going back."

"_NOOOO_!"

"_MABEL!"_

"I'm sorry Dipper but Playful's not just a wild animal. He's my dolphin and I love him. I just can't let Pacifica hurt him." Dipper sighed.

"Does Grunkle Stan know about this?" Mabel shook her head.

"No. I was going to tell him later or not at all because he might make me give Playful away. And if I told you, you would have told Stan about it."

"Well yeah, I would've told him about it. You can't have kept this a secret forever."

"I guess. You're not going to tell him, are you?"

"I should."

"Oh please Dipper; don't make me give up Playful!"

"Well, first we got to get Playful back from Pacifica." Mabel beamed. She ran and hugged her brother.

"Oh, thank you Dipper! You don't know what this means to me!" Dipper smiled and hugged her back.

"Anything for you, sis." Mabel then withdrew from him.

"Now hurry! The sooner we go, the sooner Playful can be my dolphin again and out of the clutches of that evil Pacifica!"

"Right!" And with that, Dipper followed Mabel to the front yard.

Stan was sunbathing when he saw the kids about to leave. He stood up and stopped them.

"Where do you kids think you're going?" He wanted to know.

"We, _uhhh_…." Mabel stuttered.

"We're going out!" Dipper replied.

Please don't say where to? Mabel thought. To Mabel's relief, he shrugged it off.

"Okay." He said. He went back to his chair. "Just don't do anything that would land you in jail so I don't have to tell your parents about it." The kids went off.

Waddles was rolling himself in a mud puddle. When he saw Mabel, he stood up and went to her. He oinked. Mabel looked at him and he rolled in the mud again.

"Sorry Wads." She told him. "I can't play with you right now; I got to rescue Playful from that meanie Pacifica." She left with her brother. Waddles trotted out of the mud. He was confused. Playful was gone, so why is Mabel still not playing with him?

_ "Mabel_!" Dipper said to her after they have been walking for a while. "We've been walking for a while now. Can't we go back and get a ride while we're searching for Pacifica?"

"_No!"_ Mabel told him. "We can't stop now. He's here somewhere; I just know it!"

"But my feet are killing me! Surly your feet are killing you too! Playful might be miles away; we'll still search for him, just in a car. Please, Mabel!" Mabel sighed.

"Fine!" Dipper piped up. "But let's hurry though." They were about to go when Mabel heard a dolphin cry. She stopped. "Wait; did you hear that?"

"Yeah, sounds like Playful's nearby." Mabel then ran off.

"MABEL_, WAIT_!" Dipper ran after her.

The kids ran through some bushes. Mabel beamed when she saw her dolphin in a big tank.

_"PLAYFUL!"_ She was about to run to him when she saw that somebody was hitting him with a broom. She then saw Pacifica.

"Do tricks you stupid dolphin!" She heard Pacifica shout. Mabel gasped, horrified. "Come on, I know you can! I saw you perform tricks for Mabel, why not me?" She hit him with the broom again. Playful cried out in pain.

_"NOOOOOOO_!" Mabel yelled, running in between Pacifica and Playful's tank. Dipper ran by them. Pacifica and her friends looked at them. Pacifica smirked.

"Why if isn't Dipper and his weirdo sister." Pacifica said.

_"Pacifica_!" Mabel started. "You can't do this. Playful's _my_ dolphin and you know it!"

"Oh, _really_?" Pacifica looked at Dipper. "Dipper, tell your sister that Playful chose me over her." Mabel gasped.

_"Liar_; he did not!"

"Fine, he didn't, but I'm still keeping him."

"No you're not!"

"Yes I am; he's going to make me rich."

"What do you mean?"

"Well, he's a Chinese River Dolphin, isn't he?" Mabel and Dipper gasped.

"How do you know what kind of dolphin he is?" Dipper wanted to know.

"Silly Dipper, I know from the internet. Everyone knows they got to know about the kind of animal they have." She then looked at Mabel. "Except Mabel. I bet that's why that pig of yours was so sad yesterday." Mabel was shocked by this news.

"Waddles was sad?"

"Of course he was, you would have known that if you didn't neglect him like you do." Mabel looked mad again.

"I don't neglect Waddles!"

"Well, he was sad about something! Anyways, reporters, photographers, and other people are coming over as we speak to see him so shoo, get out of here."

"I'm not leaving without Playful!" Just then, they heard car doors close. They looked and noticed the reporters; photograpers and other people headed their way. Pacifica looked at Mabel again.

"Well, it looks like you'll have to wait….forever!" She laughed. Mabel narrowed her eyes at her, clenching her fists. A reporter knelt down by Pacifica, mike in hand. A cameraman was filming them. Photographers stated flashing pictures of Playful.

"I'm standing here with the girl who discovered a rare, functionally extinct species of dolphins, the Baiji, aka the Chinese river dolphin that were only found in the Yangtze in China, but this one somehow wound up all the way out here. Now let us get the scoop!" He looked at Pacifica. "Where did you find this dolphin?"

"_Well_," Pacifica started. "My father said I could keep him ever since I went fishing with him at the Yangtze." Mabel's jaw dropped. She became upset.

"What a lair!" She ranted. "She did not; _we_ discovered him beached up on the beach." She was about to go to Pacifica when Dipper held her back.

"Mabel; they're filming!" He told her. "Millions of people will be watching!"

"_Right_!" Mabel said. "This is the perfect chance to get revenge; expose her on what she really is!" Dipper kept holding her back.

"So that's how he came here!" The reporter continued. So, fella got a name?"

"Of course he does! It's Riley." Just then, Pacifica's parents came out of the house.

"What is this?" Mr. Northwest wanted to know. The reporter stood up and went to him.

"Are you the girl's father?"

"Yes I am." Pacifica's father answered. He looked at his daughter. "Pacifica, what is this about? Why are all these people here?"

"We're about to be famous daddy." Pacifica answered. Mr. Northwest was confused.

"_What_?"

"Sir," The reporter said to him. "You and your wife must be real blessed to have such a wonderful daughter."

"Yes." Mrs. Pacifica replied. "She is. She's a gift from heaven and we're very happy to have her." Pacifica sneered at Mabel. Mabel just glared at her.

"And you must love your daughter very much to let her keep this dolphin." The reporter said.

"Oh yes." Mr. Northwest answered. "Yes we do. We can't say no to our daughter. She got us wrapped around her finger." His daughter giggled as she leaned on him.

"_Oh daddy_!" She said. The reporter knelt down to Pacifica.

"And what's your name?" The reporter asked.

"Pacifica Northwest." Pacifica answered. The reporter stood up.

"And there you have it, folks! Pacifica Northwest, her parents, and their newest family member, Riley the Baiji dolphin! Back to you guys in the studio!" He then motioned the cameraman to stop filming. The filming ceased and the cameraman started putting the camera away.

"Well, thank you Pacifica." The reporter said, holding out his hand. "That was a fantastic story, or should I say 'fintastic'?" He laughed at his pun. Pacifica shook his hand.

"Thank you for making me and my family famous."

"No, thank your dolphin for making you famous."

"Oh yeah. Well, thanks for doing a story about it."

"You're quite welcome, little lady." He shook Mr. and Mrs. Northwest's hands. A photographer went up to them.

"Can I take a picture of you, your parents and your dolphin, young lady?" He asked Pacifica. Pacifica flicked her hair.

"Sure." Pacifica agreed. She went to her parents and they posed in front of Playful's tank. The camera clicked and the dolphin went crazy. People screamed while some tried to calm him down.

"_M-mommy_?" A frightened little boy asked. "What's happening to the dolphin?" His mom patted him in comfort.

"It'll be alright Tommy," The mom said. "Mommy's here."

"_Ugh!"_ Pacifica cried, kicking at the tank. "What is wrong with you, you stupid dolphin?" The tank cracked a little.

"_STOP IT_!" Mabel yelled. She and her brother ran to her. Pacifica stopped and looked at her. "You're going to make the glass of the tank break!"

"This isn't of your concern, Mabel! At least, I don't keep him in a cooler. _Seriously_! What were you thinking? So, you and your brother go home!" Mabel shook her head.

"No; not without Playful!"

"Well, tough luck because I'm keeping him." She looked at her father.

"Daddy, what happened to my dolphin? Why did it go all crazy?" Her dad shrugged.

"Don't know, sweetheart." He replied.

"That camera flash probably spooked him." Dipper spoke.

"What do you know?" Pacifica said to him.

"_Hey_!" Mabel snapped. "My brother's right! Playful only went crazy after that camera flash so that proves that it was the camera's fault. Playful doesn't like having his picture taken!"

"What do you know about what he likes and doesn't?"

"Plenty! More then you." Pacifica growled in her throat and clenched her fists. Suddenly, Soos and Stan emerged from the crowed.

"_GRUNKLE STAN_!" Mabel cried out. "_SOOS!"_

"Did we miss the fight?" Stan wanted to know.

"Fight?" Pacifica laughed! "Ha! I wouldn't dream of it." She showed off her ruby red fingernails. "It'd ruin my beautiful nails." Mabel scowled at her.

"My niece would beat you anyways." Stan said, Pacifica glared at him.

"Shut up, old man." Mabel put her arm under her uncle's.

"Grunkle Stan," She spoke. "Tell Pacifica that Playful's mine, and she can't have him." Pacifica did the same to her father."

"_Daddy_!" She complained. "Tell Mabel that the fish is mine."

"He's not a fish!" Mabel told her. "He's a mammal."

"Whatever; he's still mine." Mabel kept tugging at her uncle and Pacifica still tugged on her dad.

"_Grunkle Stan!"_

"_Daddy!"_

"_GRUNKLE STAN!"_

"_DADDY!" _Stan motioned for them to knock it off.

"Whoa!" He said. "You two knock it off!"

"Mr. Pines is right." Mr. Northwest agreed. "This needs to stop." He looked at Stan and took out his wallet. "Now Stan; how much for the dolphin? Name your price." Mabel was shocked.

"_What_?" Mabel said. "Grunkle Stan!" She tugged at her uncle again. "She can't have him; she'll only torture him."

"I will not!" Pacifica shot at her. "At least I won't smack him like she did to her stupid pig."

"I told you; I did not smack him and he's not stupid!"

"He became stupid when he went in your freaky family." Mabel exploded.

"_THAT'S IT_!" She was about to lunge at her when her uncle held her back. Pacifica cowered behind her dad.

"Daddy, she tried to hurt me!" Her dad comforted her. Uncle Stan knelt down to her niece.

"_Mabel_?" He started. "Can I have a talk with you?"

"Sure!" Mabel told him.

"_Uh oh!"_ Pacifica said. "Here comes the 'Mabel you can't have that dolphin and Pacifica is the right person for him.' Speech." Mabel glared at her and followed her uncle, brother and Soos.

"_Mabel_." Stan told her once they were in no one else's earshot. "What is this about? Where did you get a dolphin without me knowing?" Mabel was about to answer when Soos spoke up.

"She found that dolphin when we were at the beach, sir." Soos explained. "She didn't want you or Dipper knowing because…."

"I was asking Mabel, Soos." Stan said to him. "So I want her to tell me, not you."

"Sorry sir." Stan looked at her niece again who was in tears.

"I'm sorry Grunkle Stan!" She said through her tears. "I didn't want to tell you because I didn't know how you would react and I didn't tell Dipper because he would blab to you." Stan nodded.

"I see." He looked at Soos_. "Soos_! Why didn't you tell me? You're the adult. I'm disappointed in you." Soos hung his head in shame.

"Sorry sir. She made me sign the contract." Stan sighed. Stan looked at Mabel who looked hopeful.

"_Please_ Grunkle Stan!" She begged. "Let me keep Playful!" Stan sighed and shook his head.

"I'm sorry Mabel." Mabel froze.

"_But…but_…" Stan went over to Mr. Northwest and his daughter.

"Okay missy." Stan told Pacifica. "You can keep him." Pacifica squealed, jumped up and pumped her fist in the air.

"_WHOO-HOOOOOO_!" She cheered. She shook Stan's hand. "Thank you, Mr. Pines! You're not so bad after all." She went to tell her friends. Her friends squealed. All three girls jumped in the air, holding hands. Pacifica then noticed Mabel.

"Poor Mabel." She said. "Maybe I should just let you keep the dolphin!" Mabel beamed.

_"Really_?" She asked her, hope in her eyes. "You're really going to let me keep him?" Pacifica smirked.

_"Heck no_! I just said that to make you feel worse and it worked! You should know that you don't get everything you want!" She laughed with her friends. Mabel burst in tears. Dipper glared at the laughing girls.

"And you should know that too Pacifica." He murmured under his breath. He went over to her sister for comfort.

"Well come on kids." Stan told his niece and nephew. "We'd better be going." Mabel shot an angry look at him.

_"YOU ARE THE WORST UNCLE IN HISTORY_!" Mabel yelled and ran off crying. Stan, Soos and Dipper looked shock as they watched Mabel run off.

"That's it Mabel." Pacifica spoke. "Run off you little crybaby." She and her friends laughed again. Dipper scowled and went over to her.

"You're a real jerk, you know that Pacifica?" Dipper said to her, Pacifica and her friends stopped laughing. Pacifica looked at him.

"I'm sorry Dipper." Pacifica said. "I can't help it if your twin is a dork." She and her friends laughed again. Dipper only scowled.

Mabel didn't talk at all during the whole drive home. When they got back to the shack, she ran to her and Dipper's room, jumped to her bed, and cried.

Waddles waddled up to his sad owner.

"He's _gone_ Wads!" Mabel sobbed. "Playful's…_gone_!" Waddles looked at her, feeling sorry for her. He hopped in her bed and lay next to her. He stayed next to her, even when she had cried herself to sleep. Waddles, too, shut his eyes and went to sleep.

Mabel awoke to noises the next morning. She sat up in bed, listening.

"Do you hear that Wads?" She asked the pig who had just woken up. She then heard them again. "They sound like…" She then beamed when she realized what the noises were_. "Dolphin sounds_!" She hopped out of bed and ran out. Waddles followed.

She beamed when she saw none other then Playful outside in his tank. Playful called for her.

_"PLAYFUL_!" She cried with joy, running over to the tank. She stood on three wooden crates that was beside the tank and petted him. "I thought I never see will you again. How'd you get here?"

"That was my doing." Stan spoke behind her. Mabel turned around to see her uncle, Dipper, and Soos. "I wanted to make my niece happy so Dipper, Soos and I got him back just for you." Mabel ran to her uncle and hugged him.

"Thanks." She said. "You're the best uncle in history."

"I thought you said I was the 'worst uncle in history.'."

"I changed my mind." Stan smiled and hugged her back.

"I know, kiddo."

After breakfast, the doorbell rang. Stan went to it.

"I wonder who that is." He said. "Can't they read the 'closed' sign in the window?"

"Maybe they didn't look at it, sir." Soos spoke up. Stan opened the door. There on the other side stood a man and a woman. On their uniforms were the words 'Unique Creatures Zoo'.

"Can I help you?" Stan wanted to know.

"Yes," The man started. "You have our dolphin."


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

"The dolphin is _yours_?" Stan asked. The man and woman nodded.

"Flips is the main attraction of our dolphin show at the zoo. My name is Dale, and this is Lucy, we're Flips's trainers," The man explained. "Our fans will be overjoyed that when he gets back." Dipper was confused.

"Playful…_err_…Flips is in a dolphin show?" Lucy looked at him and nodded.

"Yes, he is." She said.

"But when someone took his photo; he went berserk." This time Dale nodded.

"That's the problem we have been trying to correct." He said. "If we want Flips to perform for people, he can't do that whenever there's a camera flash, even if it's not directed towards him."

"How'd you find us?"

"We were driving and Lucy pointed him out in his tank."

"Well, you can't have him!" Mabel shouted and ran outside.

_"MABEL_!" Dipper shouted.

_"MABEL_!" Stan shouted as well. He then looked at Lucy and Dale and laughed nervously.

"Sorry about that."

"Oh, it's quite alright." Lucy said. "I was just like her when I was her age. I kept a wild baby Tasmanian Tiger." Dipper was confused.

"Aren't they extinct?" He asked. Lucy nodded.

"Yes, that was the strangest thing. It was injured at first but I treated it, named him Steve. After Steve was better, I just didn't have the heart to give him up. I was heart-broken when I had to release him."

_"So,"_ Dale started. "Are you going to give us back our dolphin?"

"I got to talk to my niece first." Stan said. He went to the back yard. Dipper, Soos, Dale, and Lucy followed.

Stan found Mabel petting Playful. He saw that she had been crying.

"_Mabel_?" Stan spoke to her. "We've got to talk."

"I'm not giving up Playful." Mabel told him, not looking up.

"But Mable; you have to. He doesn't belong to you."

"Yes he does." Mabel said through tears.

"No he doesn't; he belongs to Dale and Lucy. Look; you wouldn't be happy if someone kept you from your family. That's what you are doing to Playful."

"He has a new family." Mabel said. "With us."

"Oh, Mabel. You're not making this easy." Stan sighed. Lucy went over to Mabel. The girl looked at her.

"Listen Mabel," Lucy told her. "I know what you're going through." She told her about Steve.

"I still miss him." Lucy said. "And to this very day, but the best thing about having to say goodbye to someone very special in your life is that they aren't really gone. They're in your heart, in your memories. And once they're there; it's impossible for them to leave. Do you understand?" Mabel thought about this. She sniffed and nodded.

"Alright." She said. "You can have him." Lucy smiled.

"Thank you, Mabel."

Dale carefully transported Playful onto a dolphin stretcher and he and Lucy put it onto the truck. Lucy went to Mabel and bent down to her.

"You, your brother and your uncle can come visit anytime." She told her.

"Where it this zoo?" Dipper asked. Lucy looked at him.

"It's in Pepstan." She answered. Dipper was confused.

_"Pepstan_? Never heard of it."

"Is that really a place?" Stan wanted to know.

"Yes it's a place."

"Where is it then?" Dipper questioned.

"We'll show you." Dale offered. He motioned at the truck. "Hop in!" Mabel beamed.

_"Can_ we?" She wanted to know. Dale nodded.

"You most certainly can little girl." Mabel turned to Stan.

"Can we, Grunkle Stan?" Stan shrugged.

"I don't see why not." He said. Mabel jumped with joy.

_"YAY_!" She shouted. She turned to the dolphin. "Did you hear that, Playful? We're going to your home!" Playful didn't sound too happy.

"Playful doesn't sound happy." She told Dale and Lucy.

"He's just sad about leaving you." Dale told her. "I bet he can't _wait_ to get home!" Dipper was unsure of this. Soos then walked by.

_"Hey Soos_!" Mabel called to him. "We're going to the zoo where Playful lives. Want to come?"

"Oh boy, _do I_!" Soos said. He looked at Stan. "Can I come, sir?"

"Aw, what the heck!"

_"Whoo-hoo!"_ Soos cheered. He looked at Dale. "It won't be any trouble?" Dale shook his head.

"The more, the merrier!" Dale told him, Soos cheered again.

So they all got into the truck and were on their way. Waddles trotted sadly inside the Mystery Shack.

"We're almost there." Dale told them when he stopped the truck in a tunnel. They were in front of a wall.

"Why'd we stop?" Dipper wanted to know. "Aren't we keeping up traffic?"

"You'll see!" Dale said. "We wish to go to Unique Creatures Zoo." He spoke loudly, and then accelerated forward.

_"Wait, wait_!" Dipper cried out. "We can't drive through the wall; you'll kill us all!"

"Oh, we can't, can't we?" Dipper, Mabel, Soos and Stan screamed as they drove faster and faster.

_"Please let us live, please let us live_!" Dipper prayed to himself.

When Dipper opened his eyes and gasped. They were driving in a parking lot. Parked cars lined the lot.

"Where are we?" Mabel asked.

"We're at the zoo." Lucy told her. "Now we'd just have to transport Playful to where we do our dolphin show." Soos turned to Stan who still had his hands over his eyes.

_"Sir,"_ Soos started. "You can look now."

"Are we dead?" Stan questioned.

"You can see for yourself, but I think if you're still breathing, you are alive." Stan uncovered his eyes and opened them. He gasped.

"How'd we get here?" He wanted to know.

"I think we came though the wall." Soos told him. The truck stopped in a parking space. Dale and Lucy hopped out.

"Are we staying or getting out?" Dale asked the passengers.

"Getting out." Stan answered. "Come on, kids." Stan opened the car door. Soos, Dipper, and Mabel came out. Lucy and Dale had Playful in his stretcher. Bottles of water were on each side of the stretcher inside.

_"Ready!"_ Mabel announced.

"Then let's go!" Dale said. He grabbed one end of the stretcher and Lucy grabbed the other and they lifted it. "Let's hurry; he's heavy!"

The Pines and Soos looked at each of the exhibits they passed. There were Dodos, dragons, unicorns, griffons, woolly mammoths, dinosaurs, and saber tooth tigers. There were a lot of people too.

"Where do you get these animals?" Dipper wanted to know. "They're all extinct or don't exist at all." Lucy shook her head.

"That may be true everywhere else, but not in Pepstan." Dipper was still puzzled at how this was possible, but still looked at all the animals that were mystical or didn't exist, that they passed along with Stan, Soos, and Mabel.

"Here we are!" Dale announced as they went in front of an arena titled 'Flips and Friends'. There were turnstiles, but they went through the gate.

They went to a large tank, larger then the one Playful was in earlier, in the center. Seats were on all sides.

Lucy and Dale lifted the stretcher up to the top of the tank.

"You're home Flips!" Dale told the dolphin. Playful, or Flips, moaned sadly.

"Sounds like he doesn't want to go." Mabel observed.

_"Nonsense_!" Lucy told her. "He's overjoyed!" She looked up at Flips. "It's okay Flips; you're home!" Dipper watched as Dale and Lucy shake the stretcher a little, forcing the dolphin to dive in. Lucy and Dale put the stretcher aside.

"Well, he's finally home." Dale said as they watched the dolphin swim in the tank. Two more White Chinese River Dolphins swam up to him, but even that didn't cheer Playful up.

"Yeah, but he didn't look happy." Dipper spoke.

"He will." Dale said. "He's been gone a while. Once he sees his fans and his friends again; he will be joyful to be back." Lucy looked at her watch. She smiled.

"His show is on in 20 minutes." She looked at Dale. "Do you still want to do his show?" Dale nodded.

"Let's tell the boss he's back and let the people know over the PA." Lucy nodded and looked at the Pines and Soos.

"You people can stay for the show if you like." Mabel beamed.

_"Really_?" She asked. Dale nodded.

"It's thanks for returning Flips to us." He replied.

"Does it cost money?" Stan questioned. Dale and Lucy laughed. Stan was confused. "What's so funny? All I asked if it costs any money." Dale and Lucy stopped laughing.

"Of course not!" Lucy answered. "It's our thanks. You don't have to pay anything!" Stan smiled.

_"Really?_ Thanks; that's so generous of you!"

"But you have to pay next time." Stan burst out laughing.

"'Have to pay next time!'" He laughed. "What a hoot! Hey, Dipper, Mabel. Soos, Lucy says we have to pay next time, isn't that hilarious?" He then stopped when he saw that Lucy and Dale weren't laughing. "Oh, you're serious." Mabel tugged at her uncle. Stan looked at her.

"Can we stay?" Mabel asked. "_Please?_" Stan nodded.

"Might as well." He said. "Since it's free." Mabel cheered.

_ "WHOO-HOO_!" She cried. She then hugged her uncle. "Thanks Stan." She withdrew herself and pumped up her fist. "_YEAH!"_

"Don't you usually wait a few days to let the dolphin _rest _before putting it back in the show?" Dipper asked.

"Not in Pepstan we don't." Dale answered.

"Why don't other people know about the zoo?" Dipper wanted to know as they were shown to their seats. Mable wanted to sit as close as she could to the dolphin tank.

"We are an exclusive zoo." Lucy explained. "Only those that can afford it and who know about it are allowed in."

"That was a great show!" Mabel said once the show was over and everybody was leaving. They were standing by Dale and Lucy with Playful nearby in the tank. Dipper agreed. It was like other dolphin shows, but with more tricks and more spectacular. He had never seen anything like it. "I loved all the dolphins, but Playful, err, Flips, was my favorite!" Dale and Lucy smiled. "I loved how you taught them to dance through all those dances like the Macarena, the Robot, the YMCA and Gangnam Style. I also love how you taught them to play with those hula-hoops and play those musical instruments."

"I liked it." Stan stated. "But I didn't like getting wet by the dolphins."

"Then you shouldn't have sat with us in the Splash Zone, sir." Soos told him. "What is it with you sitting too close to the water?" Stan glared at Soos.

"I didn't know that the dolphins would splash so much, okay Soos!?" He looked at the kids. "Ready to go, kids?"

"Can we stay some more?" Mabel asked.

"_Yeah_!" Dipper added. "I want to see what kinds of animals they have here."

_"Yeah_!" Soos piped up. "I want to stay too! Can we, Mr. Pines?" He then realized something. "Oh, shoot! I didn't bring a camera."

"No you didn't." Mabel told him. "You got a special kind of camera." Soos looked at her, confused.

"I _do_?" Mabel nodded and pointed to her head. Soos looked more confused.

"My head?"

"Your mind."

"Okay." Stan said. "We can stay." Mabel and Soos cheered and hi-fived each other.

"We'll drive you home when you're finished." Dale said.

"You can get a map at the Information Booth at the entrance to the zoo." Lucy said.

"Thanks." Stan said to her. "We will."

They have just seen the last exhibit of the zoo when the PA system told them that the zoo was closing.

_"Perfect timing_!" Mabel said. "The zoo is closing and we saw all the animals of the zoo."

"Except the upcoming exhibits." Soos pointed out to her. "We didn't see those because they're not open to the public yet."

"It's amazing that they have animals that are either extinct or make-believe." Dipper stated.

"I liked the unicorns!" Mabel said. She looked at Stan. "And I can't believe I rode one!"

"I liked the petting zoo." Soos said.

"We couldn't take you away." Stan said to him. "You had to wash your hands seven times!"

"Yeah, but I just couldn't stop petting them! Their fur was all just so soft!"

"Well we better go back to the dolphin arena, so Dale or Lucy can take us home."

"And visit with Playful!" Mabel added.

They went back to the where the arena was and passed the gate. Dale and Lucy noticed them.

_ "Aw_, you're back!" Dale spoke, coming over to them. "How did you like our zoo?"

_"Great_!" Mabel replied.

"We don't see these animals back at home." Dipper put in.

"Well, I'm glad you enjoyed the zoo." Dale said. "Are you ready to go home?"

"Can I say goodbye to Play…I mean, Flips, first?" Mabel asked Dale. Dale nodded.

"Course you can. I got to go get the keys anyways. Once I get them, I'll drive you home."

"Isn't Lucy coming?" Dale shook his head.

"She has some stuff to do here. So say goodbye to Flips and when I get back with the keys, we'll be on our way." He then left. Mabel looked at Playful, trying to contain her tears.

"Well Playful," She told the dolphin. "I guess this is goodbye." Playful cried out in a sad tone. Mabel wiped her tears away with her sleeves.

"Don't cry Playful; you got to be strong." She looked at him again. "I won't forget you." She then looked at her uncle. "I'm ready to go, Grunkle Stan."

"Well, let's go." He said. "The sooner we get out of this place; the sooner we can get home." They headed towards the exit. Mabel glanced at Playful once more and waved.

_"Bye, Play...Flips_!" Playful did his sad cry again. Dipper stopped and looked back at the dolphin.

Then the dolphin did the most amazing thing. He opened his mouth.

"_Hap me!"_ He cried. Dipper's eyes widened. Was this dolphin trying to talk?

_"Hap me_!" He repeated. "Halp me…hep me…"

"Are you trying to say 'help me?'" Dipper wanted to know. Then Playful did something else that amazed Dipper, he nodded.

"_Help me_!" Dipper nodded in understanding.

"_DIPPER_!" Dipper heard his uncle call. "Are you coming or what?"

"_COMING UNCLE_!" He shouted back. He began to go, but not before looking back at Playful.

"I'll help, Playful." He told him. "My sister and I will help." And with that, he ran out of the arena.

_"Mabel_?" Dipper said that night in their room.

_"Yeah_?" Mabel asked turning to him in her pajamas. "What do you want, bro?"

"I think Playful doesn't like staying at the zoo. Didn't you hear his sad cries?"

"Yeah, but I thought it was because he was sad that I was leaving him."

"That too I guess. But, now this may sound weird, but before I left he spoke to me." Mabel looked at him funny.

"He _spoke _to you?" Dipper nodded. "Dolphin talk or English?"

"English. Plain English, I understood every world."

"I didn't know that dolphins could talk. I thought parrots were the only animals that could do that."

"Well, dolphins are smart. I bet if someone really wanted, they could teach a dolphin to talk, just like how babies and parrots are taught, by repeating the words over and over." Mabel was still trying to take this all in. She looked at her brother.

"And he said, 'help me'? Dipper nodded. He went over and grabbed Mabel's clothes. He tossed it to her.

"Put your clothes back on. We're going to help Playful."

The twins went out that night for the golf cart. They got in and Dipper started the engine and drove to the tunnel.

They stopped at the wall.

"Now, what were the words Dale said to enter Pepstan?" Dipper wondered out loud.

"I think it was 'we wish to go to the Unique Creatures Zoo.'" Mabel said. Dipper turned to his sister.

"Don't be silly Mabel." Dipper told her. "You'd think I'd remember if it was as simple as 'we want to go to the Unique Creatures Zoo.'" Just then, the wall became slightly transparent. The siblings looked at it; Dipper's jaw agape.

"I told you so!" Mabel said.

_"Showoff_!" Dipper just said. He then backed up the cart. "Hold on, sis!" He drove faster and faster and…went through the portal.

"_WHOO-HOO_!" Mabel cheered when they were at the parking lot of the Unique Creatures Zoo. "We're here! We're in the parking lot of the Unique Creatures Zoo!" Dipper stopped the cart in a parking space. He turned to his sister.

"Hop out." He instructed her.

_"Hopping out_!" She and Dipper hopped out.

"Now, let's go to the dolphin arena."

"_WHOO_!" Mabel cheered again, pumping her fist in the air. And with that, the two siblings went towards the dolphin arena.

_"Playful_!" Mabel shout-whispered once they were in the arena. "We're here to bust you out of here! Playful?" The twins then got splashed on when they heard a dolphin cry. They turned and Mabel smiled. It was Playful!

_"PLAYFUL_!" Mable cried, running over to him. "How are you? Are you ready to be rescued?" The dolphin nodded and gave her a splash, crying out. Mable laughed. Dipper went over to them. Mable looked at him.

"So, how are we going to pull this off, bro?" She asked. "Huh? How are we going to get a dolphin out of this tank and into the ocean? Huh; how are we?" Dipper face palmed. He has been so determined to help Playful that he forgot to think of how they would get him out!

"_Well_?" Mable questioned. "What you got, bro?" Dipper gave her a sheepish smile.

"I don't have the faintest idea of how we're going to do this." Mabel sighed and shook her head.

"Oh, Dipper." Just then Dale and Lucy stormed in.

_ "Hey_!" Dale shouted. "What are you kids doing?!"

_"RUN_ MABEL!" Dipper yelled. He started running, but his sister stayed put. He stopped in his tracks. "Mabel?"

"We're getting Playful out of here." Mabel said told Dale and Lucy. Dale raised an eyebrow.

"Oh you are, are you?" He questioned.

"Yes, we are."

"And how are you two going to do that?" Lucy wanted to know.

"We don't know! But you can't keep Playful here; he doesn't like it here!" Lucy snickered.

"We know." Mabel was confused.

"But if you know then why keep him here then?"

"For money!" Dale explained. "Flips might not like it here, but we do when he makes us money." Mabel gasped.

"That's horrible; now you let him go!"

"No can do little lady and two kids aren't going to take away our money maker!" Dale and Lucy went towards the two twelve year olds. "Now, come here you two!"

"Mabel, _run_!" Dipper shouted. He resumed on running. Mabel was about to run as well when Lucy grabbed her arm. Mabel gasped.

"_Gotcha!_" Lucy said. She then laughed. Mabel tried to get out of her grip.

_"LET ME GO_!" She screamed. Lucy laughed again.

"And let you go without some discipline? _Never!"_ She laughed and laughed. Mabel stomped on her foot. She screamed, letting her go. Mabel ran after her brother.

"Come on, Mabel!" Dipper said. When Mabel caught up with her brother, the two ran out of the arena.

"Don't worry Lucy." Dale told his assistant. "We won't let them get away unpunished!" And with that; he ran after the kids. Lucy stood up and did the same.

"We're almost to the golf cart!" Dipper said to Mabel when they were in the parking lot. The golf cart was standing right in front of them. Dipper and Mabel got in.

"_Hold on_!" Dipper called. Lucy and Dale then hopped out of the bushes. The kids screamed.

"Where did they come from?!" Dipper asked.

"No time to think about that!" Mabel told him. Now, _DRIVE, DRIVE, DRIVE_!" They drove off.

"We wish to go to Gravity Falls, Oregon!" Dipper said. A portal then appeared from out of nowhere. They were about to drive through when Dale seized Mabel. Mabel screamed.

"Gotcha!" Dale said. Dipper looked back and gasped.

"_MABEL_!" He yelled.

"_DIPPER_!" Mabel yelled back. He was about to go rescue his sister when it was too late. He was back in the tunnel in Gravity Falls. He got out and ran to the portal that just closed.

_ "MABEL_!" He yelled again. _"NOOOOOO_!" He took deep breaths, not knowing what just happened. Tears leaked from his eyes as he sniffed. What were they going to do with her? He was determined. "I got to save my sister!" He then drove on back to the Mystery Shack.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

Dipper was about to run into the Mystery Shack when he heard a sudden frantic squeal. He stopped in his tracks.

_"Waddles_!" He said. He ran to the squealing and froze again when he saw Pacifica trying to carry Waddles off. Waddles tried to get away like crazy.

"Stop squirming you stupid pig…" Pacifica said. "and let me carry you away from here!" Dipper narrowed his eyes.

"Pacifica!" He shouted. "You let go of my sister's pig right now!" Pacifica looked at him and gave him a sneer.

"Well, if it isn't creepo Mabel's twin brother to her pig's rescue."

"Why are you here Pacifica?"

"Why, to get Mabel's pig of course. If she gets to have a dolphin, I get her lame pig."

"If you think Waddles is so lame, why do you want him then?"

"That's none of your business! Now, out of my way and leave me be!" She left with a still struggling Waddles.

"Oh no, you don't!" He grabbed Waddles and tried to pull him out of Pacifica's hands.

"What are you doing? The pig is mine!"

"No he's not; he's Mabel's! And she'd be really upset if you took him away!"

"Well tell her too bad! She can't keep a dolphin _and_ a pig!"

"You already got a dog and a chicken; you don't need a pig."

"I wouldn't have a chicken if it wasn't for Mabel!"

"Well, I'm sorry, but you're not having Waddles!"

"Yes I am!"

"No you're not!"

"Yes, I _am_!"

"No, you're _not_!" The kids pulled and pulled. Waddles had enough and jumped free out of their hands. Pacifica sneered again.

"We'll see who the pig will go to." She said.

"Fair enough." Dipper agreed. The two kids went further, leaving Waddles in the center. They turned around.

"Come here, Waddles!" Dipper said to the pig.

"Come here, pig!" Pacifica said. They both shouted 'Come Waddles' or 'Come pig!' But it didn't take Waddles long to decide, he trotted over to Dipper and sat on his behind. He had made his decision. Dipper patted the pig.

"Good pig!" Dipper congratulated. "I knew you'd choose me." Waddles let out an oink. Pacifica growled in her throat.

_"Fine_!" She huffed, folding her arms across his chest. "I don't need that dumb pig anyways!" Waddles then butted her to the ground. Dipper tried not to laugh. Pacifica jumped to her feet. She just sneered and stormed off. Dipper looked down at Waddles.

"Well, Pacifica got what she deserves I guess. I can't wait to tell Mabel…" He told him. Waddles let out another oink. Dipper then realized something. "Oh my gosh_; Mabel_!" He ran into the Mystery Shack. Waddles went after the boy.

_"STAN; SOOS_!" Dipper hollered as he ran upstairs. "_WAKE UP_; THEY GOT HER!" He ran into his uncle's room and shook him in his bed. "STAN; WAKE UP; _THEY GOT HER, THEY GOT HER_!" Stan woke up.

_"Dipper_!" He said. "Why are you waking me up? Don't you know what time it is?"

"I'm sorry Grunkle Stan, but they got her!" Stan sat up in his bed, confused.

"What are you talking about? Who's 'they'? And who's 'her'?"

_"Mabel_! Dale and Lucy have my sister!" He was about to wake up Soos when Soos came into the room. Waddles was by his side; he must have woke him up.

"I don't get it, sir." Soos asked, yawning. "Why are we up? What's happening?" Stan shrugged as he got out of bed.

"Your guess is as good as mine." He told him. "I have no idea what this is about." He looked at Dipper. "Dipper; what do you mean Lucy and Dale have your sister?"

Dipper told Soos and Stan the story.

"And we need to go right now!" Dipper concluded. "Who knows what they're doing to her." Stan yawned.

"Can't we rescue your sister in the morning? I'm dog gone tired." Dipper dragged his uncle by the arm.

"No time; we need to save her _now!_"

"Well, can I at least change first? It will be kind of awkward if a grown man goes outside in his pajamas and slippers." Dipper sighed.

"Fine, but hurry up." Stan went to change.

"Can I change too?" Soos wanted to know.

"Yes, Soos." Dipper answered him. "You can change too." Soos went to change as well. Dipper looked at Waddles.

"Good thing you don't need to change outfits." He told the pig. Waddles looked at him and oinked in response.

"Okay, let's go." Dipper said as soon as he saw his uncle and Soos. He looked at Waddles. "You stay here Waddles." Waddles oinked. Dipper, Stan and Soos were off.

"How will we find her?" Stan asked as soon as they were in the zoo. "We don't even know if she's here. I mean, Lucy and Dale could've taken her anywhere! It might take hours, days or even years to find her." Soos then saw Mabel in a cell in a building nearby.

"_Found her!"_ Soos piped up.

_"What_?" Stan asked. "Where Soos?" Soos pointed to where she was. Dipper and Stan saw where he pointed.

_"There_!" Stan did a face palm.

"Of course!" He said to himself. "It has to be that obvious; I'm such a dummy!"

"No you're not, sir." Soos told him. "At least we found her."

"Soos' right." Dipper said, going over to where his sister was. "Come on!" Stan and Soos ran to her. Dipper noticed this.

"Not so fast!" He told them in a loud whisper. The two adults stopped, dead in their tracks. "Now, I'll go and make sure the coast is clear." He slowly went closer to his twin.

_"Psst, Mabel!_" He whispered to her. "Mabel, wake up!" Mabel awoke and beamed when she saw her brother.

"Dipper!" She cried. Dipper put a finger to his mouth.

"Shhhh! People will hear us."

"Oh, right." She went closer to him. "Boy, am I glad to see you!" Soos and Stan came up to her. "Stan, Soos! Is Waddles or Wendy here too?" Dipper shook his head.

"No. Just Stan and Soos. We're here to rescue you." He then changed the subject. "What did they do to you anyway?"

"They didn't do anything yet. They just locked me in here and Lucy told me to 'wait here.'"

"Well, do you know what they're going to do with you?" Mabel shook her head.

"No clue. Lucy and Dale didn't tell me. I was just told to 'wait here.'" They then heard footsteps.

"Someone's coming!" Dipper said. "Hide!" Stan, Soos and Dipper all ran. Dipper got down on his knees and hid beneath a desk. Soos knelt down by him.

"Can I hide here with you?" Soos asked. Dipper just nodded. Stan went outside to hide in some bushes.

Mabel watched as Dale and Lucy opened her cage; Lucy dragged her out. Dale closed the cage door and locked it. Dale and Lucy went off, with Lucy dragging Mabel. Mabel tried to squirm free.

"Where are you taking me?" She wanted to know.

"You'll see." Dale only replied.

"Come on!" Dipper told his uncle and Soos. They then followed where Dale and Lucy were taking Mabel.

They arrived in another room like a clinic with a examination table in the center. Lucy lifted Mabel onto the table as Dale got something that looked like a shot.

"Your arm, please." Lucy said. Before Mabel could respond, Lucy pulled up Mabel's sleeve. "Okay, ready." Dale went towards her with the shot. Mabel withdrew her arm.

"_Whoa_; what are you _doing_?" She wanted to know. "Are you even certified doctors? Because if you're not, I don't think you should perform this on a kid or _anyone!"_ It could be deadly."

"Relax, kid." Dale told her. "This isn't a shot like you get at the doctor's. This shot is to make you forget everything about Flips, as if you never saw him before."

"Okay, first off, his name's Playful! And second_, what? Forget_? I don't _want _to forget. Playful and I been though so much together; I don't want to lose my memories of him."

"Sorry, but this is the way it has to be. We can't let you blabbing to the police about this. We'll release you after you have forgotten everything you did with that dolphin."

_"NOOOOOOO_!" Mabel flailed her arm around, making it hard for Dale to inject the shot. He sighed, looking at his assistant.

"Lucy, would you please hold her down?"

"Sure." Lucy replied. She grabbed both of Mabel's arm and pinned them down. Dale went closer with the shot. Mabel screamed and kicked her legs.

Having enough, Stan went out of his hiding place. Soos and Dipper went beside him.

"Get that needle _away_ from my niece!" Stan barked. Lucy, Dale and Mabel looked at him.

_"STAN_!" Mabel cried with glee. "_DIPPER, SOOS_!" She tried to get free, but Lucy held her down.

"We'll release her." Dale told Stan. "After we inject her with the shot." Stan shook his head.

"No, that won't do. I won't let you. This isn't right. She's just a kid."

"A kid that might tell the police about us and have us arrested. We can't risk that, even if it turns out they don't believe her. It's better to be safe then sorry."

_"So_?" Dipper said. "She should tell the police. You deserve it, keeping Playful here, when you know he's unhappy, and for what? Money? People like you two make me sick. And if the people that see your shows knew what you're doing, they'd agree. They won't want him here; they'll want him happy living out there in the wild."

"You don't know that; you're too young!" Dale turned to Mabel again. "Now, bug off; your sister knows too much."

"Oh, I know plenty. Listen if you let her go and release Playful into the wild; we won't tell the cops, will we, Mabel?"

_"But Dipper_!" Mabel said.

"_Will_ we Mabel?" Dipper said again, only louder. Mabel sighed.

_"Fine_!" She agreed. "We won't tell." Dipper looked at Dale who was thinking.

_ "See_? You can trust us." Lucy and Dale turned to each other.

"Sorry." Dale responded. "We appreciate it, but we can't lose Flips."

"_NOOOOOO_!" Dipper, Soos and Stan yell as they saw him about to inject the hypodermic needle into Mabel's arm. Mabel resumed on screaming.

Just then a Carolina parakeet flew in and snatched the shot in its talons.

"_Hey, what the?"_ Dale looked at Lucy. "Who let that bird out? Lucy; help me get it!" Lucy turned to the yellow and green bird who was on the floor, still clinging to the shot.

"_Nice birdy, birdy_!" "Lucy spoke, inching closer. "I'm not going to hurt you. I just need the shot, so if you would just be a good little bird…" The parakeet cawed and flew with the shot in its talons.

"_Lucy; get it!"_ Dale ordered. She and Dale tried to get it from the bird, but whenever they got close, the bird flew away. The Pines and Soos watched in amazement. Mabel laughed.

"What is that bird doing?" She asked.

"I think it's helping you, Mabel." Her brother replied. The bird then flew out of the building.

"We can't let it get away with the shot!" Dale said. He and Lucy were about to run after the parakeet when two brown and white striped zebra-like animal came in.

"What is _happening_ here?" Dale questioned. "Who let them in?" Lucy and Dale were about to go out when the quaggas stood in their paths. They then pushed them down to the ground.

"_Lucy_!" Dale shouted to her. "Don't let the quaggas get in our way; we need to be stronger, show them whose boss!" Lucy nodded and tried to stand up, but the quagga put a leg on her, pinning her to the floor. Mabel laughed again.

"First it was the bird," She said. "Then it was those animals that look half Zebra; what is _happing_ here?" Dipper then realized what was going on. He looked at the three.

"I think they're helping us escape." He said to them. "Come on; this is our chance!" He ran out of the building. The others followed.

Lucy and Dale managed to get free of the quaggas and chased after them. Dale pointed a mean finger at Dipper.

"You all can't get away!" He ran towards them, but slipped on some water. He then looked up to see he was face to face with a Tetrabelodon. The four tusked elephant-like animal squirted water at him with its trunk.

Lucy was about to run after the Pines and Soos when an auk, a black and white seabird, slapped her in the groin with its flipper. She fell to the ground, unconscious. The auk cooed.

"Come on!" Dipper instructed the group. "Mabel and I will go to Playful," He looked at his uncle. "Grunkle Stan, you and Soos go get Playful's stretcher."

"_Wait, wait_!" Mabel spoke. "We're _stealing_ him back?" Dipper nodded.

"Fraid so." He replied. "The car can't hold Playful. It's too small. We need something bigger."

"That and we are _not _flooding my car," Stan added. He smiled at Dipper.

"_That's_ my nephew!" He said. "Stealing from the bad guys; I _like_ it!"

"Okay; _go_!" Dipper told him and Soos, gesturing them to shoo. Stan and Soos were off. Dipper looked at his sister.

"Ready to save Playful?" He asked.

"_Heck yeah!"_ Mabel piped up. "What are we standing around here for; lets _go, go, go_!" And so, the kids were off.

Mabel rushed to the dolphin tank as soon as she and her brother were in the arena.

"Playful; we're here to rescue you!" She announced. Playful was so happy that he did a jump in the pool. Mabel laughed. "You'll be home soon pal." Playful did a happy click. Mabel laughed again.

"Now, we wait for Grunkle Stan and Soos." Dipper reminded his sister. Mabel looked at her brother.

"I know." She said. She looked at Playful again.

"We're here!" Stan announced when he and Soos arrived with the stretcher. "Hurry, let get him in!" He and Soos bought the stretcher below Playful.

"Jump in, Playful!" Mabel told the dolphin. Mabel didn't have to ask him twice; the dolphin looked at the stretcher and jumped in. Soos and Stan almost fell to the floor.

"It feels like a ton of bricks just dropped in here." Stan observed.

"_Yeah_!" Soos added. "But it's not a tons of bricks; it's a dolphin!"

"Right. Let's hurry up and get this to the car. With the dolphin in here now; it's a lot heavier."

"And we better hurry." Dipper agreed. "Before Lucy and Dale catch us. The animals can't stall them forever."

"Then let's go!" Mabel said. And so, the kids went out of the arena, followed by their uncle and Soos, carrying Playful in his stretcher.

"_STOP THEM_!" Dale yelled as soon as he saw the Pines, Soos entered the parking lot. A dodo was biting on Dale's leg. He looked down and shook his leg with the dodo on it. "GET _OFF_ YOU DODO!"

"_RUN_!" Mabel screamed. Soos laughed.

"He said he's a dodo because he is a dodo!"

"_Soos_!" Stan scolded him. Soos stopped and looked at the kids.

"You can't tell people their dodos; it's not nice."

"Soos_! Focus_!"

"_Right_!" All of them ran away from an angry Lucy and Dale, who had shaken the dodo off.

"Okay, we're here." Stan said when they were by the truck. "Let's get out of here." He looked at Soos. "Soos, you go to the car and go home." Soos saluted.

"Roger that, sir!" Soos was about to go when Mabel spoke up to him.

"You might want to say goodbye to Playful." She said to him as he and Stan put him on the truck. "This might be the last time you see him." Soos nodded and looked at the dolphin.

"Well Playful," He said to him. "Although we hardly know each other…"

"_Uh Soos_?" Dipper asked, noticing Dale and Lucy coming closer. "You might want to hurry it up."

"_Goodbye_!" Soos concluded with a wave. He went off for the car. Mabel hopped up beside Playful.

"I'll stay here with Playful." She told him.

"Better be careful." Stan said.

"I will." Stan and Dipper went up front. Mabel barely just sat down when the truck jerked to life.

"_Whoa_!" Mabel would've tumbled if Playful hasn't caught her with his tail.

Mabel looked at the dolphin and hugged him.

"Thanks for catching me." She said. Playful nuzzled his nose in her lap.

Mabel took the water bottles and dumped it on Playful a little. When she was done with one, she started on the second one.

"I THINK WE LOST THEM!" She shouted up front when she hasn't seen Dale and Lucy for a while. She then saw that she was almost done with the bottle. She looked up front again. "AND _HURRY_; WE'RE ALMOST OUT OF WATER BACK HERE!"

"I'M HURRYING AS FAST AS I CAN!" Stan shouted back. "JUST HANG IN THERE UNTIL WE GET TO A BODY OF WATER!" Mabel looked at Playful, petting him.

"Just hang in there." She told him. Playful moaned. Mabel then saw another truck drive towards them. Dale's face then poked out of the window.

"THIS IS YOUR LAST CHANCE!" Dale yelled at Mabel. "GIVE US OUR

DOLPHIN!"

"_NEVER_!" Mabel yelled back. Dale shrugged.

"OKAY, YOU ASKED FOR IT!" He ducked his head back in the truck window.

Playful made a scared moan as Dale and Lucy's truck came closer and closer. Mabel wrapped an arm over the frightened dolphin.

"Don't worry, Playful." She comforted him. "You're with us. I won't let them catch you." Playful felt content.

The truck then bumped into the car. Mabel grabbed onto Playful's dorsal fin so she wouldn't fall out.

"_WHOA!"_ She cried. The truck forced the car to the side of the road. Suddenly they went over a bump in the road. Mabel flew in the air. Playful was going to catch her, but failed.

The next thing she knew, she was on the hard asphalt. She saw the truck with Playful on the back and Lucy and Dale's truck stop. Dipper and Stan got out of the truck while Lucy and Dale came out of theirs. They approached each other.

"WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU'RE _DOING_?!" Stan yelled. "You could've killed us!"

"Sorry." Dale apologized. "We just want the dolphin and we'll do anything to get him."

"Even turn into murderers?" Dipper wanted to know. "That's messed up!"

"Well, she's alive isn't she?" Dale pointed out. "So, it's okay. Now, give us the dolphin." Stan shook his head.

"No, I don't think that I will, not since you _ALMOST KILLED MY NIECE_!"

"Look, it's not our fault that she was sitting on the back. This is why people should always wear their seatbelts, to avoid accidents like this."

"But the back didn't _have_ any seatbelts!"

"_Exactly_; not my problem." While the adults argued, Dipper came up to his sister.

"You okay?" He asked. Mabel nodded.

"Come on Luc." They heard Dale say, going over to Playful. He grabbed ahold one end of Playful's stretcher. "Grab the other end and let's get out of here." Lucy nodded and went to him. Mabel bolted to her feet and ran to them.

"_NOOOOOOO_!" Mabel screamed, kicking Dale. "_I…WON'T…LET..YOU; I WON'T LET YOU, I WON'T LET YOU!"_ Dale chucked. He looked at Lucy.

"Lucy, if you please." Lucy nodded.

"Come on little girl." She said. Mabel clung to Dale's foot.

"NO! You can't take Playful; you can't!" Lucy clung onto Mabel and pulled.

"Come on!"

"_NO!"_

"_Hey_!" Stan shouted. "You don't touch my niece like that!"

"My assistant can touch her in anyway she wants!" Dale said to Stan.

"Oh _yeah_? Not on my watch!" Stan then punched Dale in the face. Dale fell unconscious to the ground. Mabel then stomped on Lucy's foot. Lucy gave out a scream.

"_LET'S GET OUT OF HERE_!" Mabel yelled. Her brother and Stan got back in the truck. Mabel heaved herself up by Playful.

"How dare you stomp on my foot!" Lucy barked at Mabel. She was about to grab her when the truck drove off, making Lucy lose her balance, and fall over Dale just as he was about to stand back up. This made him fall down again.

They drove by a large body of water. Playful then perked up. He made excited dolphin noises. Mabel looked to where her uncle and brother were.

"I THINK PLAYFUL WANTS TO STOP HERE!" Mabel shouted. The truck drove until there was an opening. It then turned in and parked near the sea. Stan and Dipper then hopped out and went to where Mabel was.

"Okay Mabel," He told her. "Since Soos isn't here, you and Dipper will see how strong your uncle is." He lifted up Playful's stretcher. "Okay, let's get this over with." He, Dipper and Mabel went closer to the sea. Stan placed the stretcher on the ground. Mabel looked at the dolphin.

"You're home now Playful." Mabel told him. Stan pushed the stretcher closer to the sea and Playful swam in. Stan pulled the stretcher back. The dolphin looked at his savors. Dipper nudged his sister when she didn't say anything.

"Time to say goodbye, Mabel." He told her.

"I know," She responded. "It's just…I can't. It's too hard." Dipper put a hand over her.

"I know." He said.

"Well, you got to." Stan said. "It's either now or never."

"I'll say goodbye." Mabel said. "Just give me a sec." Stan sighed.

"It _better_!"

Suddenly, they heard more dolphin cries. They all looked up and Playful jumped up excitedly.

"Is that your family?" Mabel asked. Playful nodded. Mabel smiled. She wiped away a tear. "Then you better go." Playful looked puzzled as he saw the tears on Mabel's face.

"I'll be okay." She told him. "You just go to your family." Playful was unsure. "I said I'll be okay; just go to your family." Playful nodded and swam to where the other dolphins were.

"I'm proud of you, sis." Dipper said to her. "You did a good thing. Even though it was hard on you; you still did it." Mabel smiled too. She then waved to Playful.

_"BYE PLAYFUL! I'LL NEVER FORGET YOU_!"

"_Lov You_!" Playful called back and performed one last jump before following the others in the distance. Mabel smiled.

"Love you too Playful." She said.

"Ready to go home, kid?" Stan asked his niece. Mabel looked at him.

"You bet." She replied. She, Dipper and her uncle were about to go when they saw Dale and Lucy come up to them.

"We want our dolphin!" That was the first thing that came out of Dale's mouth.

"Well, too bad!" Mabel said to him. "He's not here. He's with his family."

_"We_'re his family!"

"No you're not! You just kept him against his will; he's free now. He's right where he belongs, away from you heartless people."

"Oh, is that _so_?" Dale snapped. He went to the sea and cupped his hand over his mouth.

"_Here, dolphin, dolphin_!" He called. Mabel went over to her.

_"Stop it_!" She cried. "Just stop it and go away!" Lucy went near her.

"You and your family better leave." She told her. "You'll never win this one." Mabel scowled at her as she called for Playful with her partner. Mabel looked at Dipper and Stan.

"What are we going to do?" She wanted to know. Suddenly, they heard police sirens. They all looked up. Police were coming out of their cars and coming over to them. Stan panicked.

"Oh no; there're here for me!" He ran to hide in some bushes. "Kids; you better hide too if you know what's good for you."

"Dale and Lucy," A police officer started, getting out handcuffs out of his pocket, "You are under arrest for poaching a dolphin and keeping him in the zoo against his will." Dipper looked confused. The police officer looked at him and Mabel. "Are you kids alright?" Dipper nodded.

"Yeah, we're alright." He told him. "But what do you mean poach?"

"Oh; a few years ago these two poached a dolphin from this very sea." Mabel gasped.

"Dale and Lucy took Playful from out of the sea; away from his family and friends?" The police officer looked at her and nodded. "How awful!"

"You bet it is! Worse of all, we have been tracking them for a long time."

"Who called you?" Dipper wanted to know. The officer pointed behind him. Dipper and Mabel looked and saw Soos standing there. Soos waved at them. The siblings ran to him.

_"SOOS_!" Mabel cried in glee, hugging him. Dipper looked up at him.

"You went to the police?" Soos nodded.

"_Yep_! I was going to go home like your uncle had said, but I then decided to go to the police." Mabel smiled.

"Thank you. If you haven't did that; Playful might have gone home with those meanies." Soos smiled too.

"Well, I'm glad I did then. Apparently, these people have been looking for those 'meanies' for a long time." Soos then noticed Stan in the bushes. He waved to him.

"Oh hey Mr. Pines, what are you doing there?" Stan motioned him to keep it down and motioned him to come over. Soos came to him.

"What are you doing in the bushes?" He asked in a whisper.

"Hiding from the police." He whispered back. Soos was puzzled.

_"Why_?"

"So they don't arrest me."

"It's okay sir. They're here for Lucy and Dale; not for you."

"Well, I'm not taking any chances. They might still arrest me." Soos just shrugged.

"Okay; suit yourself." He then was about to let Stan be alone, when Stan spoke up again.

"Oh, and since the car's here, tell the police they can take it away." Soos nodded.

"I'll do just that, sir." He then left.

The police were taking Lucy and Dale away in handcuffs. Dale tried to struggle out but the officer held a firm grip on him.

"Struggling will only extend your sentence." He said to him. He turned to Soos.

"Thanks for the call." He told him.

"No problem, officer!" Soos said back. "Travel safely! Oh, and you can take the trucks. We have a car. The police then left in their cars. Mabel went to his uncle when they were out of sight."

"We'll get two tow trucks out here and tow them."

"Great." They then left. Mable went to where her uncle was hiding.

"Okay," She told her uncle. "The coast is clear. You can come out now." Her uncle came out of the bushes.

"Okay," Stan said. "Let's go before anything else happens."

Mabel hoped she would hear Playful one last time, but no dolphin sound came. She sighed. Guess they're too far off. She thought to herself.

"_Mabel_!" Stan said to her. Mabel shook herself to reality and looked at her uncle, Soos and Dipper. "Are you coming or what?"

"_Coming_!" She said. And with that, she followed her family to the car.

"_I'M HOME, WADDLES_!" Mabel announced when they were back at the mystery shack in their room. The pig looked up at her in his bed.

"Mable_; shhh_!" Dipper told her. "It's still late, remember? The clock downstairs said it was a quarter to three in the morning"

"Oh, yeah." She knelt down by her pig. "Sorry I woke you, Wads. You can go back to bed." Mabel went to the bathroom. She came back with her PJS on and hopped up onto her bed. Dipper did the same and went to sleep. Waddles was about to go back to sleep when Mable spoke.

"_Wads_," She started. Waddles looked at her. "Pacifica made up awful lies like I neglected you and stuff," She looked at him. "Is that true? Were you jealous of Playful?" Waddles looked away, not wanting to answer. "Come on Wads, you can tell me. I won't be mad." Waddles looked at her and oinked sadly. "Oh, Wads." Mabel jumped down by him. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to make you feel invisible or unloved. That must have felt awful; that was wrong of me. Do you forgive me?" Waddles looked up at her. "I'll understand if you don't." She then began having tears in her eyes. "I'm _sorry_ Waddles; I'm so _sorry_!" The pig then nestled his snout in her lap. Mabel smiled.

"Guess you forgive me, huh Wads?" Waddles oinked. Mabel hugged him. "I love you Waddles." Waddles oinked again. She then withdrew herself from him. "I promise I won't neglect you ever again. Are we cool?" Waddles oinked. Mabel smiled.

"_All right_!" She then went in bed again. "_Night Wads_!" Waddles oinked. It wasn't long until Mabel spoke again. She looked at him. "Do you want to sleep by me?" Waddles looked at her and oinked. Mable tapped the spot by her.

"Hop in then!" Waddles hopped by her on the bed. Mable laughed. This woke Dipper. Dipper looked at her.

"I know you're having fun with your pig,' He said. "But can you keep it down? I'm trying to sleep."

"Sorry Dips." She told him. "We're going to bed too." Dipper just fell back asleep.

"Tomorrow Wads," She told him. "We'll have fun together; it'll just be you and me. I promise." Waddles oinked again. With that, girl and pig fell fast asleep, Waddle's snout on her chest.

Waddles and Mabel spent the whole day together. They went to the park together, ate ice cream together, rolled in mud together, and rode in a rowboat together.

Mabel knew she would miss Playful, but will always remember him. And if she should find another animal; she'll never make Waddles feel jealous or unloved ever again, for Mabel was Waddles's girl, and Waddles is Mabel's pig.


End file.
